High School and Beyond 2020 (HS&B:20) Base-Year Full-Scale Study Recruitment and Field Test Update

Appendix A - HSB 2020 BYFS Recruitment BYFT Communication Materials

High School and Beyond 2020 (HS&B:20) Base-Year Full-Scale Study Recruitment and Field Test Update

OMB: 1850-0944

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High School and Beyond 2020 (HS&B:20)

Base-Year Full-Scale Study Recruitment and Field Test

OMB# 1850-0944 v.6

Appendix A – Communication Materials

Submitted by

National Center for Education Statistics

U.S. Department of Education

March 2019

revised December 2019

second revision April 2020

Table of Contents

**Materials in this appendix have been marked as previously approved or new (as compared to OMB# 1850-0803 v.5) to facilitate review. Each item’s approval status is noted next to its title in the Table of Contents**

Appendix A1. Endorsement Request Letter (previously approved) 3

Appendix A2. State Letter and Sample Endorsement Letter (previously approved) 4

Appendix A3. District Notification and Recruitment Letter (previously approved) 6

Appendix A4a. School Recruitment Letter (previously approved) 7

Appendix A4b. School Coordinator Role Overview (previously approved) 8

Appendix A4b1. School Coordinator Letter Accompanying Permission Materials (previously approved) 10

Appendix A4c. School Thank You Letter (previously approved) 12

Appendix A4d. School Participation Reminder Emails (previously approved) 13

Appendix A5a. Parent Notification Letter (previously approved) 17

Appendix A5b. Parent Notification Letter – Spanish (previously approved) 18

Appendix A5c. Parent Permission Letter – Implicit (previously approved) 19

Appendix A5d. Parent Permission Letter - Implicit – Spanish (previously approved) 21

Appendix A5e. Parent Permission Letter – Explicit (previously approved) 24

Appendix A5f. Parent Permission Letter – Explicit – Spanish (previously approved) 27

Appendix A5g. Student Assent Form (previously approved) 30

Appendix A5h. Student Script (previously approved) 31

Appendix A6a. Study Information Sheet (previously approved) 32

Appendix A6b. Frequently Asked Questions (previously approved) 33

Appendix A6c. Brochure Text (previously approved) 35

Appendix A6d. HS&B:20 Newsletter (previously approved) 36

Appendix A6e. Video Script (previously approved) 40

Appendix A7a. Recruitment Website Text (previously approved) 42

Appendix A8a. Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter (previously approved) 50

Appendix A8a.1 Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter Reminder (previously approved) 52

Appendix A8a.2 Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Initial (previously approved) 53

Appendix A8a.3 Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Reminder (previously approved) 54

Appendix A8b. Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter (previously approved) 55

Appendix A8b.1 Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter Reminder (previously approved) 56

Appendix A8b.2 Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Initial (previously approved) 57

Appendix A8b.3 Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Reminder (previously approved) 58

Appendix A8c. Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Postcard (previously approved) 59

Appendix A8d. Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter (previously approved) 60

Appendix A8d.1 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter Reminder (previously approved) 61

Appendix A8d.2 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Initial (previously approved) 62

Appendix A8d.3 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Reminder (previously approved) 63

Appendix A8e. Hybrid Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter (previously approved) 64

Appendix A8e.1 Hybrid Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter Reminder (previously approved) 65

Appendix A8e.2 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Initial (previously approved) 66

Appendix A8e.3 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Reminder (previously approved) 67

Appendix A9a. Summary of Mathematics Questions (previously approved) 68

Appendix A9b. Summary of Reading Questions (previously approved) 69

Appendix A9c. Summary of Student Survey (previously approved) 70

Appendix A9d. Summary of Parent Survey (previously approved) 71

Appendix A9e. Summary of Mathematics Teacher Survey (previously approved) 72

Appendix A9f. Summary of School Counselor Survey (previously approved) 73

Appendix A9g. Summary of School Administrator Survey (previously approved) 74

Appendix A10. Student Rostering Materials (previously approved) 75

Appendix A11. Parent Data Collection Letter (previously approved) 77

Appendix A11.1 Parent Data Collection Letter Reminder (previously approved) 78

Appendix A11.2 Parent Data Collection Email (previously approved) 79

Appendix A11.3a Parent Data Collection Email Reminder (previously approved) 80

Appendix A11.3b Parent Data Collection Email Reminder (previously approved) 81

Appendix A11.4a Parent Data Collection Reinterview Email – Web (previously approved) 82

Appendix A11.4b Parent Data Collection Reinterview Email – CATI (previously approved) 83

Appendix A12a. Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Letter (previously approved) 84

Appendix A12a.1 Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Reminder (previously approved) 85

Appendix A12a.2 Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Email (previously approved) 86

Appendix A12a.3 Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Email Reminder (previously approved) 87

Appendix A12b. Staff Data Collection Letters – Guidance Counselor (previously approved) 88

Appendix A12b.1. Staff Data Collection Letters Reminder – Guidance Counselor (previously approved) 89

Appendix A12b.2. Staff Data Collection Email– Guidance Counselor (previously approved) 90

Appendix A12b.3. Staff Data Collection Email Reminder – Guidance Counselor (previously approved) 91

Appendix A12c. Staff Data Collection Letters – School Administrator (previously approved) 92

Appendix A12c.1. Staff Data Collection Letters Reminder– School Administrator (previously approved) 93

Appendix A12c.2. Staff Data Collection Email – School Administrator (previously approved) 94

Appendix A12c.3. Staff Data Collection Email Reminder– School Administrator (previously approved) 95

Appendix A13a. School Staff Participation Certificate (previously approved) 96

Appendix A13b. Parent/Student Incentive Receipt Form (previously approved) 97

Appendix A14a. HS&B:20 District Notification Letter (new) 98

Appendix A14b. HS&B:20 District Notification Letter – Districts That Have Not Yet Approved Participation (new) 99

Appendix A14c. HS&B:20 School Administrator Notification Letter – Participating Schools (new) 100

Appendix A14d. HS&B:20 School Administrator Notification Letter – Sampled Schools That Have Not Yet Agreed to Participate (new) 101

Appendix A14e. HS&B:20 State Notification Letter (new) 102

Appendix A1. Endorsement Request Letter (previously approved)

<Director’s name> <Date>

<City, State Zip>

Dear <Name>:

Shape1

How a student does in 9^th grade is more predictive of their odds of graduating high school than all other factors, including race, gender, socioeconomic status, and prior academic achievement, combined. https://toandthrough.uchicago.edu/mythbusters

HS&B:20 will give policymakers and educators information they need to improve the high school experience for ALL students. It will offer the opportunity to explore students transitions into and out of high school and create a big picture view of K-12 education and trends by rounding out the NCES elementary and middle grades longitudinal studies.

We are hoping you will partner with us by learning more about HS&B:20 and encouraging participation of schools that are selected to represent the U.S. educational experience in this study. Your support and a letter of endorsement can show how important this study is and increase participation and success of the study. Without school participation, the validity of national estimates is at risk.

Shape2

If the 1.3 million dropouts from the Class of 2010 had graduated, the nation would have seen $337 billion more in earnings over the course of the students’ lifetimes.

Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. "Plan for Success: Communities of Color Define Policy Priorities for High School Reform." Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. Accessed February 18, 2015.

Next step: Support this research by signing up to endorse the study at surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20.

Learn more about the study by reviewing the enclosed brochure and FAQs, watch the study video at <web address>, and visit the study website surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20.

You may contact RTI International with questions at (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]. You may also contact Project Officer Elise Christopher, PhD at NCES at (202) 245-7098. We are confident that you will see the value and importance of this research and will want to partner with us to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

NCES is authorized to conduct the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The data are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization. All of the information students, parents, and staff provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

Enclosures: HS&B:20 Brochure & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Sheet

Appendix A2. State Letter and Sample Endorsement Letter (previously approved)

<City, State Zip>

Dear <Name>:

Shape3

Shape4

If the 1.3 million dropouts from the Class of 2010 had graduated, the nation would have seen $337 billion more in earnings over the course of the students’ lifetimes.

Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. "Plan for Success: Communities of Color Define Policy Priorities for High School Reform." Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. Accessed February 18, 2015.

To encourage districts, schools, and parents to participate, we are asking state departments of education to provide a letter of endorsement for the study. Although participation is discretional, it is extremely important to have the participation of all the sampled schools because they were selected to represent the broad diversity of schools across the nation. Without their participation, the validity of the national estimates will be impaired. Your endorsement may positively impact school district and school participation, therefore greatly affecting the success of the study.

Next steps: Support your state’s participation in this research by providing a letter of endorsement. A representative of RTI International will contact you to discuss the possibility of receiving such a letter.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Cc: <STATE> Testing Coordinator

Enclosures: HS&B:20 Brochure & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Sheet

Sample Letter of Support

<Date>

<Title>

<City, State Zip>

Dear School District and School Administrators:

The <INSERT STATE EDUCATION AGENCY NAME> is pleased to support the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education. The study complements our <vision/mission/goal; here an SEA administrator enters district- or school-specific visions, missions, or goals to which HS&B:20 contributes>

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

The data your school, students, staff, and parents provide to NCES and its contractor, RTI International, will help policymakers and educators understand the factors associated with successful transitions to high school and allow for examination of trends over time. These data are critical for making decisions related to policy and practice and the collection of these data is not possible without the participation of selected school districts and schools. By participating in the study, you are providing much needed information to help understand what factors propel some students to successful completion of high school and entry into work or postsecondary education and identify key risk factors during this critical stage of education.

We strongly encourage your participation in HS&B:20. We are confident that <schools in our state /our members and partners, along with state and local education leadership> will understand the importance of this national study and will accept the invitation to participate.

Should you have any questions, please call the HS&B:20 information number, (855) 500-1439, or send an email to [email protected]. You may also contact Project Officer Elise Christopher, PhD at NCES at (202) 245-7098 for more information.

Thank you for dedication to education research and your help in making HS&B:20 a success.

Sincerely,

<Name>

Chief State School Officer

Appendix A3. District Notification and Recruitment Letter (previously approved)

<Superintendent’s Name>, Superintendent <Date>

Shape5

https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb/

Study ID:

Password:

<City, State Zip>

Dear <Name>:

Shape6

Education success is crucial to individual and societal outcomes. Understanding what factors propel some students to successful completion of high school and entry into work or college while leaving others behind is a critical function of the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). One or more schools in your district has been selected to represent the U.S. high school experience in this important research study being conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education.

HS&B:20 is an opportunity for schools, students, parents, and school staff to share their experiences and opinions, which can shape the future of education. The study will give policymakers and educators information they need to improve the high school experience for ALL students. Complementing the NCES elementary and middle grades longitudinal studies, it will offer the opportunity to explore students’ transitions into and out of high school, and create a big picture view of K-12 education and trends.

Benefits associated with your district’s participation:

Schools may select from a menu of incentive options for schools, school coordinators, teachers, and students.
Data sets that can be used for grant writing and school improvement efforts.
Receive school-level reports to compare school-level measures to the national averages and similar schools.
Participating students receive a two-hour service certificate from the U.S. Department of Education. Participating staff receive continuing education credit.

Next step:

Support your school(s) participation in this research study. Login to our secure portal to access the school name(s) using the login credentials that are provided in the top right corner of this letter. Contact the school principal and express your support. If the district would like to assist the school(s) further, you may provide the roster needed to select the sample of students to participate.

If the 1.3 million dropouts from the Class of 2010 had graduated, the nation would have seen $337 billion more in earnings over the course of the students’ lifetimes. Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. "Plan for Success: Communities of Color Define Policy Priorities for High School Reform." Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. Accessed February 18, 2015.

It is extremely important to have the participation of all the sampled schools in this research because each is needed in order to represent the broad diversity of schools across the nation. Without their participation, the validity of the national estimates will be impaired. Your endorsement will have an immense impact on the success of this study. Learn more about the study by reviewing the enclosed brochure and FAQs, watch the study video at <web address>, and visit the study website surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20.

Within a few days, the study materials will be sent to the selected school(s) in your district and our contractor, RTI International, will contact them to participate. Please contact us with questions at (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]. School and student participation are discretional, and we are confident that you will see the value and importance of this research to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: HS&B:20 study information sheet, Brochure & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Appendix A4a. School Recruitment Letter (previously approved)

<Principal’s Name> <Date>

<Title>

<City, State Zip>

Dear <Name>:

Shape8

Education success is crucial to individual and societal outcomes. Understanding what factors propel some students to successful completion of high school and entry into work or college while leaving others behind is a critical function of the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education, proudly invites your school to participate in the study.

This is not just a research study. HS&B:20 presents an opportunity for your students, parents, and school staff to provide their experiences and opinions which can shape the future of education. HS&B:20 research data will give educators an in-depth understanding of factors that influence successful graduates. The innumerable benefits of participation include:

Turn research into practice with national data sets used for grant writing and school improvements
School-level reports on student performance
Schools may select from a menu of incentive options for schools, school coordinators, teachers, and students. Participating students receive a two-hour service certificate from the U.S. Department of Education and participating staff receive continuing education credit.

Your school is one of a limited number of schools around the country selected to represent the high school experience. NCES has partnered with RTI International to conduct data collection in your school. The RTI field staff team is comprised of educators, administrators, and seasoned professionals with experience working in school settings. HS&B:20 is NOT a test and all responses are aggregated with other participants across the country. All participation is discretionary and is greatly treasured by NCES.

Shape9

If the 1.3 million dropouts from the Class of 2010 had graduated, the nation would have seen $337 billion more in earnings over the course of the students’ lifetimes. Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. "Plan for Success: Communities of Color Define Policy Priorities for High School Reform." Campaign for CHSE High School Equity. Accessed February 18, 2015.

<The district has been notified of the research> <The study has been given the support of Superintendent (insert name)> and we are counting on your participation. As a thank you, your school will receive a <incentive> check or non-monetary equivalent. The designated school coordinator receives <incentive> as a thank you for their help, and each teacher completing an online questionnaire will receive a small token of appreciation. Participating school counselors, school administrators, and teachers receive continuing education credits. Watch this brief video to learn more <insert URL>.

Reserve your school’s participation NOW by calling the HS&B:20 information line at (855) 500-1439 or by visiting us online at surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20. Our contractor, RTI International, will contact you to discuss your school’s participation. We look forward to partnering with your school to improve educational opportunities for this high school generation and beyond.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: HS&B:20 Brochure, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) sheet, State Letter of Endorsement (if provided)

Appendix A4b. School Coordinator Role Overview (previously approved)

Welcome colleague to the exciting role of School Coordinator (SC) for the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). By helping with HS&B:20, you are contributing to the success of a study that will help educators, parents, and researchers learn how to best support student socioemotional and academic growth and learning during these extremely important years. We need your help and we thank you in advance.

Shape10

Study Activities

Student Session- About 35 students in grade 9 <and 35 students in grade 12> will be invited to participate in an online survey about their life in high school: class selections, grades, and social topics. It will be conducted at your school and HS&B:20 session facilitators (SFs) will bring a mobile Chromebook lab.

Students will also complete a vision and hearing evaluation as part of the student session. Parents will receive a report of their child’s hearing and vision results. Student participants will receive an incentive selected by the school and receive a service certificate from the U.S. Department of Education.

Counselor and Administrator Survey- The principal and counselor will complete surveys about school characteristics, staffing, the student population, and the academic environment. The surveys are completed online, and login credentials will be sent to each participant. Counselors and administrators may receive continuing education credits for their participation.

Teacher Survey- Teachers of students in grade 9 <and 12> will complete a survey about their professional background. Teachers will also respond to questions about students participating in HS&B:20. If allowed, teachers will receive <incentive> for completing part 1 and <incentive> for each student report.

Parent Survey- The parent survey will ask about students’ education experiences, parents’ involvement in and expectations for their children’s academic attainment, and family characteristics. Their survey is online or via telephone interview.

Shape11

Permission Forms: Determine which type of form to use for your school. RTI will mail forms to you several weeks before the session. Please send these forms home with the students selected for the study when they arrive.

Shape12

Roster- Provide a roster of your 9^th <and 12^th> grade classes so that we can select the students. If your school is small, we may select all your 9^th <and 12^th> students to participate.

Upload the roster to the secure High School and Beyond website.
Receive list of selected students and submit parent and teacher information for each student.

Logistics-

Select date, time, and location for the student session.
Send home the permission forms and reminders if needed. You may be asked to call parents for outstanding forms.
Work with your SF to identify any students with special needs who may need accommodations.
Notify teachers, parents, and students and explain activities coming up.

Session Day- Session facilitators will arrive about 1.5 hours before the session to set up and will bring the mobile Chromebook lab including internet connectivity. Please be available before the session to locate and bring any students that did not arrive on time. If you are unable to be there, designate another staff member to fill in for you that day.

Token of Appreciation- As a token of our appreciation for your time and effort with HS&B:20, you will receive $50 once you upload the student roster. You will also receive $100 after the student session. Your school will receive <incentive>, and students a 2-hour service certificate from the U.S. Department of Education plus a token of appreciation selected by your school.

THANK YOU for doing your part to improve the excellence of high school education for this generation and beyond!

Appendix A4b1. School Coordinator Letter Accompanying Permission Materials (previously approved)

Dear <SC name>:

Thank you for your school’s participation in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) and for all you have done to prepare for the data collection thus far. We look forward to coming to your school on <session date> to conduct the student session(s).

In this mailing, we have provided student tracking forms (STF) which lists the students selected to participate at your school and parental permission materials for each selected student. <There are two STFs, one for ninth and one for twelfth grade.> In anticipation of the in-school session, we ask that you:

distribute the parental <notification letters/permission forms> to the students listed on the STF<s>; and
work with RTI’s session facilitator (SF) to finalize the logistics of the session(s), determine the eligibility of the students listed on the STF<s> to participate in the study, and discuss any accommodations that may be needed for students.

We have also provided a checklist for you to use to help you with organizing these tasks.

RTI’s session facilitator (SF) will contact you in the next few days to confirm the session logistics and to assist you in completing the activities listed above. Should you have questions in the meantime, you may contact us at 1-855-500-1439 or [email protected].

Thank you again for serving as the school coordinator and for your help to make HS&B:20 successful at your school.

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

Project Director, HS&B:20

School Coordinator Checklist

Task	Activity	Timeline	Completed
1	Upload 9th <and 12^th> grade rosters to <insert URL>	Aug-Oct.
2	After students are selected, log back into <insert URL> and provide teacher and parent info	Aug-Sept.
3	Select day and time for student session	Sept.
4	Reserve the media center or empty classroom for the student session	Sept.
5	Determine parental consent type (notified, implicit, explicit)	Sept.
6	Communicate to parents, teachers, and students about upcoming activities	6 weeks prior to student session
7	Send home parental permission forms	As soon as they arrive from RTI
8	Remind parents to sign and return forms as needed	Weekly after forms are sent home
9	Communicate to your HS&B:20 SF when permission forms are returned and be willing to call parents to encourage participation	Weekly after forms are sent home
10	Determine if any students need accommodations	1-2 weeks prior to student session
11	Meet in person with your SF for a pre-session visit	1 week prior to student session
12	Receive Chromebook Shipment	1-2 days prior to student session
13	Meet the SF at school	1.5 hours before the session begins
14	Assist as needed to set-up and locate any students who did not arrive for the session	During the session day
15	Return all permission forms to the SF and allow them to use the school fax machine	During the session day
16	If needed, schedule a make-up session for students unable to attend	After the session day

Appendix A4c. School Thank You Letter (previously approved)

<DATE>

<Address 2}

<City, state, zip>

Dear <Principal>:

We are writing to thank you and your school for participating in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) this fall. The contributions of schools like yours provides vital feedback of the current high school experience and our team expresses gratitude for our partnership. We particularly would like to thank <you/School Coordinator name> for working with us to coordinate the student sessions and ensure the study’s success at your school. <if applicable: We have enclosed <incentive> as a token of our appreciation for the school’s participation.>

We will contact you again in the summer or fall of <2022/2023> to plan for the spring semester <2023/2024> data collection. If you have any questions, please call us at (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected].

Thank you supporting HS&B:20 to make the study a success.

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

Project Director, HS&B:20

Appendix A4d. School Participation Reminder Emails (previously approved)

Templates 1-3 will be sent to schools at times throughout the recruitment period. Template 4 will be sent once to states and districts after allowing contact with their districts and schools.

-------------------------------------------“THANK YOU” EMAIL TEMPLATE 1-------------------------------------------

We are writing to say, “Thank you”! By participating in research studies like the High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) you are helping to inform policy-makers, educational leaders, researchers, and parents so we can all make important decisions about what works best for our children.

Thank you for contributing to knowledge that will help us to improve outcomes for youth today and for years to come. We look forward to working with you in the fall of <2019/2020>.

Here are some helpful education tools we thought you might be interested in:

W
hat Works Clearinghouse: A clearinghouse for evidence-based programs and practices: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/

To find more tools like this, visit the study resources page at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX or visit NCES website at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

We look forward to talking to you soon!

The HS&B:20 Team

High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20)

855-500-1439

Email: [email protected]

-------------------------------------------“THANK YOU” EMAIL TEMPLATE 2-------------------------------------------

We are writing to say THANK YOU! By participating in research studies like the High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), you are helping to inform policy-makers, educational leaders, researchers, and parents so we can all make important decisions about what works best for our children.

Thank you for contributing to knowledge that will help us to improve outcomes for youth today and for years to come. We look forward to working with your school in the fall of <2019/2020>.

Did you know…

School Climate is key to improving student outcomes. “By promoting a positive climate, schools can allow greater equality in educational opportunities, decrease socioeconomic inequalities, and enable more social mobility.” ¹

Here are some School Climate Improvement Resources you may be interested in.

C
heck out: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/edscls and https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/SCIRP/Quick-Guide

We look forward to talking to you soon!

The HS&B:20 Team

High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20)

855-500-1439

Email: [email protected]

-------------------------------------------“THANK YOU” EMAIL TEMPLATE 3-------------------------------------------------

This is just a quick email to say THANK YOU! By participating in research studies like the High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) in the fall of <2019/2020>, you are helping to improve the condition of education for high school students today and for years to come. To learn more about the current condition of education, check out the link below.

Here is the 2018 “The Condition of Education” report. We thought you might be interested: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/

We look forward to talking to you again soon!

The HS&B:20 Team

High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20)

855-500-1439

Email: [email protected]

DISTRICT & STATE EAs ONLY

-------------------------------------------“THANK YOU” EMAIL TEMPLATE 4-------------------------------------------

Thank you for your support of the High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20)! Data collected from HS&B:20 will be compiled into a public data set and used to improve policy and practice in high schools across the United States. Here are some recent articles we thought you might be interested in:

Reasons High School Students Change Their Education Setting, 11/18, From HSLS:09

Factors that Influence Student College Choice, 11/18, From HSLS:09

Working Before, During, and After Beginning at a Public 2-Year Institution: Labor Market Experiences of Community College Students, 7/18, From BPS:12/14

The Condition of Education 2018 At a Glance, 5/18, From multiple NCES Longitudinal Studies

Thank you for your time and contribution.

The HS&B:20 Team

High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20)

855-500-1439

Email: [email protected]

Appendix A5a. Parent Notification Letter (previously approved)

Dear Parent or Guardian,

Your school is participating in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education. HS&B:20 gives you and your student the rare opportunity to share your experiences and opinions to help improve education for your student and students in the future. We are writing now about your student’s participation, and you will receive a separate invitation for you to participate as well.

WHO: About 35 ninth grade <and 35 twelfth grade> students from your student’s school will be asked to participate. About <75/800> schools across the country will be participating.

WHAT: Students will complete a survey about themselves and their experiences and answer some math and reading questions. They will also complete a hearing and vision evaluation for which you will receive the results. The student session will be conducted on Chromebooks supplied by the study, and participation is voluntary. Your student will receive a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education, and a small gift as a “thank you” for participating. Participating schools and teachers also receive <incentive>.

WHEN: Your student’s school will choose a convenient day and time in the fall for students to spend just <FILL> minutes in school in the HS&B:20 student session. <If 45-minutes:> Students will be asked to complete another <FILL> minutes outside of school and will receive $15 when both the in-school and out-of-school sessions are finished. <If 9^th grade> Students will participate again in winter/spring <2023/2024>, and then high school transcripts will be collected in the fall of <2023/2024>.

WHERE: The school will choose the best location for the session, typically a classroom or media center.

WHY: The study will help us learn more about students’ academic and social growth during high school and ways we can support them. Together, this information helps us learn how to give all high schoolers the experience and skills they need to thrive in high school, and beyond.

To learn more: Watch a short video to see what participation will look like <LINK>, visit the study website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/, or scan the QR code. If you have questions, please call us at (855) 500-1439 or send email to [email protected].

Shape13

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

Shape14

IMPORTANT: This is not a test, and it is not graded. We follow very strict laws to protect personal information and any data collected. All information collected is securely maintained. All reports will use aggregate information for all students who participate; no names will be published in the data files or reports.

NCES is authorized to conduct the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20:20) by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The data are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization. All of the information students, parents, and staff provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

Appendix A5b. Parent Notification Letter – Spanish (previously approved)

Estimado(a) padre o madre/tutor(a) o guardián legal:

La escuela de su estudiante está participando en el estudio Durante y Después de High School 2020 (High School and Beyond 2020 o HS&B:20, por sus siglas en inglés), que está llevando a cabo el Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Educación del Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos. HS&B:20 les brinda a usted y a su estudiante la oportunidad única de compartir sus experiencias y opiniones para ayudar a mejorar la educación de su estudiante y la de otros estudiantes en el futuro. Le estamos enviando esta carta ahora, porque nos gustaría que su estudiante participe en el estudio. Usted recibirá una invitación por separado para que también participe.

¿QUIÉNES?: Se les pedirá a aproximadamente 35 estudiantes de noveno grado <y a 35 estudiantes de doceavo grado> de la escuela de su estudiante que participen. Más o menos entre <75/800> escuelas de todo el país participarán.

¿QUÉ?: Los estudiantes completarán una encuesta sobre sí mismos y sus experiencias y contestarán algunas preguntas de matemáticas y de lectura. También se les hará una evaluación de audición y visión y usted recibirá los resultados. La sesión para estudiantes se hará usando una computadora portátil Chromebook, la cual será proporcionada por el estudio. La participación es voluntaria. Su estudiante recibirá un certificado de parte del Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos que lo/la acredita por 2 horas de servicio comunitario, así como también un pequeño regalo como muestra de agradecimiento por su participación. Las escuelas y maestros que participen también recibirán <incentive>.

¿CUÁNDO?: La escuela de su estudiante elegirá un día y hora que considere convenientes en el otoño, para que los estudiantes puedan dedicar tan solo [FILL] minutos en la sesión para estudiantes del proyecto HS&B:20. <If 45-minutes:> Se les pedirá a los estudiantes que completen otros <FILL> minutos fuera de la escuela y ellos recibirán $15 cuando hayan terminado ambas sesiones: tanto la de la escuela como la de fuera de la escuela. <If 9^th grade> Los estudiantes participarán nuevamente en < el invierno del 2023/la primavera del 2024> y obtendremos los certificados finales de calificaciones en el otoño del <2023/2024>.

¿DÓNDE?: La escuela elegirá el lugar más adecuado para llevar a cabo la sesión. Generalmente, ese hace en un salón de clases o la biblioteca.

¿POR QUÉ?: El estudio nos ayudará a conocer más sobre el crecimiento académico y social de los estudiantes durante high school, así como sobre las diferentes maneras en que podemos darles apoyo. Esta información, de manera conjunta, nos ayuda a conocer la forma en que debemos darles a todos los estudiantes de high school la experiencia y las habilidades necesarias para florecer en high school y en el futuro.

Para conocer más sobre el estudio: Por favor, mire un video breve en el que se muestra cómo sería la participación de su estudiante [LINK], visite la página de Internet https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/, o escanee el código QR. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llámenos al (855) 500-1439 o envíenos un correo electrónico a la dirección [email protected].

Shape15

Escanee AQUÍ el código QR de HS&B:20

Shape16

INFORMACIÓN IMPORTANTE: Esto no es un examen y tampoco se califica. Seguimos leyes muy estrictas para proteger la información personal de los participantes y cualquier información que se obtenga. Toda la información se mantendrá de manera segura y el nombre de su estudiante nunca se guardará junto con sus respuestas. Todos los reportes usarán información agregada de todos los estudiantes que participen.

NCES está autorizado a hacer el estudio HS&B:20:20 por el Acta de la Reforma de Educación de 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543) y a obtener expedientes escolares de los estudiantes, de agencias o instituciones educativas con el propósito de evaluar programas educativos que cuentan con apoyo a nivel federal bajo la Ley de Derechos Educativos y Privacidad Familiar (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) y 99.35). La recolección de datos la está llevando a cabo en nombre de NCES la firma RTI International, una organización sin fines de lucro que realiza estudios y está basada en los Estados Unidos. Toda la información que los estudiantes, los padres, y el personal proporcione podrán usarse solamente para propósitos estadísticos y no podrán divulgarse ni usarse de manera que permita identificar a los participantes para ningún otro propósito a menos que lo exija alguna ley (20 U.S.C. §9573 y 6 U.S.C. §151). La información que se obtenga se combinará con la de otros participantes para producir reportes estadísticos.

Appendix A5c. Parent Permission Letter – Implicit (previously approved)

HS&B:20 Student Permission Form - Implicit Permission – Field Test

Dear Parent or Guardian,

WHO: About 35 ninth grade <and 35 twelfth grade> students from your student’s school will be asked to participate. About <75/800> schools across the country will be participating.

WHAT: Students will complete a survey about themselves and their experiences and answer some math and reading questions. They will also complete a hearing and vision evaluation for which you will receive the results. The student session will be conducted on Chromebooks computers supplied by the study, and participation is voluntary. Your student will receive a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education, and a small gift as a “thank you” for participating. Participating schools and teachers also receive <incentive>.

WHEN: Your student’s school will choose a convenient day and time in the fall for students to spend just <FILL> minutes in school in the HS&B:20 student session. <If 45-minutes:> Students will be asked to complete another <FILL> minutes outside of school and will receive $15 when both the in-school and out-of-school sessions are finished. <If 9^th grade> Students will participate again in winter/spring <2022-23/2023-24>, and then high school transcripts will be collected in the fall of <2023/2024>.

WHERE: The school will choose the best location for the session, typically a classroom or media center.

To learn more & provide permission online: Watch a short video to see what participation will look like <LINK>, visit the study website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/, or scan the QR code. If you have questions, please call us at (855) 500-1439 or send email to [email protected].

Thank you for taking the time to learn about this important study and how you can help.

Shape17

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

You only need to return the attached form if you do not want your student to participate.

Shape18

HS&B:20 Student Permission Form - Implicit Permission – Field Test

Your student has been asked to participate in a study of student learning called the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). Student data will be collected in a <FILL>-minute session during the school day. The student session will be led by a team of researchers from RTI International, on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). <If 45-minutes:> Students will be asked to complete another <FILL> minutes outside of school and will receive $15 when both the in-school and out-of-school sessions are finished.

If you give permission for your student to participate in HS&B:20 YOU DO NOT NEED TO RETURN THIS FORM. Please keep this copy for your records.

If you do not give permission for your student to participate in HS&B:20, please check the box below, and sign and return this form to your student’s school as soon as possible.

Shape19 No, I do not give permission for my student to participate in High School and Beyond 2020.

PLEASE SIGN YOUR NAME BELOW:

____________________________________________Date of signature: _____/_____/______

(Signature of parent or guardian)

PLEASE PRINT:

Student name: _________________________

Parent name: __________________________

Parent telephone: _________________________________________

Parent email: ______________________________________________

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:

Student ID: ________________________________________________

Appendix A5d. Parent Permission Letter - Implicit – Spanish (previously approved)

HS&B:20 Formulario de Permiso para la Participación de su Estudiante - Permiso Implícito – Prueba de Campo

Estimado(a) padre o madre/tutor(a) o guardián legal:

La escuela de su estudiante está participando en el estudio Durante y Después de High School 2020 (High School and Beyond 2020 o HS&B:20, por sus siglas en inglés), que está llevando a cabo el Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Educación del Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos. HS&B:20 les brinda a usted y a su estudiante la oportunidad única de compartir sus experiencias y opiniones para ayudar a mejorar la educación de su estudiante y la de otros estudiantes, en el futuro. Le estamos enviando esta carta ahora, porque nos gustaría que su estudiante participe en el estudio. Usted recibirá una invitación por separado para que también participe.

¿QUIÉNES?: Se les pedirá a aproximadamente 35 estudiantes de noveno grado <y a 35 estudiantes de doceavo grado> de la escuela de su estudiante que participen. Más o menos 75 escuelas de todo el país participarán.

¿CUÁNDO?: La escuela de su estudiante elegirá un día y hora que considere convenientes en el otoño, para que los estudiantes puedan dedicar tan solo [FILL] minutos en la sesión para estudiantes del proyecto HS&B:20. <If 45-minutes:> Se les pedirá a los estudiantes que completen otros <FILL> minutos fuera de la escuela y ellos recibirán $15 cuando hayan terminado ambas sesiones: tanto la de la escuela como la de fuera de la escuela. <If 9th grade> Los estudiantes participarán nuevamente en <el invierno del 2023/la primavera del 2024> y obtendremos los certificados finales de calificaciones en el otoño del <2023/2024>.

¿DÓNDE?: La escuela elegirá el lugar más adecuado para llevar a cabo la sesión. Generalmente, ese hace en un salón de clases o la biblioteca.

Shape20

Escanee AQUÍ el código QR de HS&B:20

Para conocer más sobre el estudio y para dar su permiso por Internet: Por favor, mire un video breve en el que se muestra cómo sería la participación de su estudiante [LINK], visite la página de Internet https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/, o escanee el código QR. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llámenos al (855) 500-1439 o envíenos un correo electrónico a la dirección [email protected].

Gracias por dedicar tiempo a conocer sobre este estudio tan importante y la manera en que usted puede contribuir.

Si usted no desea que su estudiante participe, lo único que tiene que hacer es devolver el formulario incluido.

Shape21

HS&B:20 Formulario de Permiso para la Participación de su Estudiante - Permiso Implícito – Prueba de Campo

Le hemos pedido a su estudiante que participe en un estudio sobre el aprendizaje de los estudiantes, llamado Durante y Después de High School 2020 (High School and Beyond 2020 o HS&B:20, por sus siglas en inglés). Los datos de los estudiantes se obtendrán en una sesión de [FILL] minutos durante el día escolar. La sesión para estudiantes la llevará a cabo personal de la firma RTI International, en nombre del Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Educación (NCES por sus siglas en inglés). <If 45-minutes:> Se les pedirá a los estudiantes que completen otros <FILL> minutos fuera de la escuela y ellos recibirán $15 cuando hayan terminado ambas sesiones: tanto la de la escuela como la de fuera de la escuela.

Si usted da su permiso para que su estudiante participe en el estudio HS&B:20 NO TIENE QUE DEVOLVER ESTE FORMULARIO. Por favor guarde esta copia para sus registros.

Si usted no da su permiso para que su estudiante participe en el estudio HS&B:20, por favor marque el cuadro que está a continuación. Firme y devuelva este formulario a la escuela de su estudiante lo más pronto posible.

Shape22 No, no doy mi permiso para que mi estudiante participe en el estudio Durante y Después de High School 2020.

POR FAVOR FIRME A CONTINUACIÓN:

____________________________________________Fecha en que firma: _____/_____/______

(Firma del padre o madre/tutor(a) o guardián legal)

POR FAVOR ESCRIBA CON LETRA DE IMPRENTA:

Nombre del estudiante: _________________________

Nombre del padre o madre: __________________________

Número de teléfono del padre o madre: _________________________________________

Correo electrónico del padre o madre: ______________________________________________

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:

Student ID: ________________________________________________

Appendix A5e. Parent Permission Letter – Explicit (previously approved)

HS&B:20 Student Permission Form - Explicit Permission – Field Test

Please read, sign, and return the attached form to your student’s school or visit the website/scan the QR code to submit an online signature after reading this letter. Your student will receive <a food event/$3 voucher to the school cafeteria> for returning this form.

Shape23

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

Dear Parent or Guardian,

WHO: About 35 ninth grade <and 35 twelfth grade> students from your student’s school will be asked to participate. About <75/800> schools across the country will be participating.

WHAT: Students will complete a survey about themselves and their experiences and answer some math and reading questions. They will also complete a hearing and vision evaluation for which you will receive the results. The student session will be conducted on Chromebooks computers supplied by the study, and participation is voluntary. Your student will receive a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education, and a small gift as a “thank you” for participating. Participating schools and teachers also receive <incentive>.

WHEN: Your student’s school will choose a convenient day and time in the fall for students to spend just <FILL> minutes in school in the HS&B:20 student session. <If 45-minutes:> Students will be asked to complete another <FILL> minutes outside of school and will receive $15 when both the in-school and out-of-school sessions are finished. <If 9^th grade> Students will participate again in winter/spring 2022-23 and then high school transcripts will be collected in the fall of 2023.

WHERE: The school will choose the best location for the session, typically a classroom or media center.

T hank you for taking the time to learn about this important study and how you can help. Please sign and return the attached form OR submit an online signature for your student to participate by scanning the QR code above or visiting the study website.

Shape24

Parent/Guardian Explicit Permission Form – HS&B:20

PLEASE CHECK ONE:

Shape25 Yes, I give permission for my student to participate in HS&B:20.

Shape26 No, I do not give permission for my student to participate in HS&B:20.

PLEASE SIGN YOUR NAME BELOW:

_____________________________________________________ Date of signature: _____/_______/_______

(Signature of parent or guardian)

PLEASE PRINT:

Student name: _____________________________________________

School name: ______________________________________________

Parent name: ______________________________________________

Parent telephone: _________________________________________

Parent email: ______________________________________________

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:

Student ID: ________________________________________________

Appendix A5f. Parent Permission Letter – Explicit – Spanish (previously approved)

HS&B:20 Formulario de Permiso para la Participación de su Estudiante - Permiso Explícito – Prueba de Campo

Shape27

Escanee AQUÍ el código QR de HS&B:20

Por favor lea, firme y devuelva el formulario incluidoa la escuela de su estudiante. O, después de haber leído la carta, visite la página del estudio en Internet o escanee el código QR para enviar su firma electrónica. Por la devolución de este formulario, su estudiante recibirá un cupón de $3 que podrá usar en la cafetería de su escuela.

Estimado(a) padre o madre/tutor(a) o guardián legal:

La escuela de su estudiante está participando en el estudio Durante y Después de High School 2020 (High School and Beyond 2020 o HS&B:20, por sus siglas en inglés), que está llevando a cabo el Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Educación del Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos. HS&B:20 les brinda a usted y a su estudiante la oportunidad única de compartir sus experiencias y opiniones para ayudar a mejorar la educación de su estudiante y la de otros estudiantes, en el futuro. Le estamos enviando esta carta ahora, porque nos gustaría que su estudiante participe en el estudio. Usted recibirá una invitación por separado para que también participe.

¿CUÁNDO?: La escuela de su estudiante elegirá un día y hora que considere convenientes en el otoño, para que los estudiantes puedan dedicar tan solo [FILL] minutos en la sesión para estudiantes del proyecto HS&B:20. <If 45-minutes:> Se les pedirá a los estudiantes que completen otros <FILL> minutos fuera de la escuela y ellos recibirán $15 cuando hayan terminado ambas sesiones: tanto la de la escuela como la de fuera de la escuela. <If 9th grade> Los estudiantes participarán nuevamente en <el invierno del 2023/la primavera del 2024 y obtendremos los certificados finales de calificaciones en el otoño del <2023/2024>.

¿DÓNDE?: La escuela elegirá el lugar más adecuado para llevar a cabo la sesión. Generalmente, ese hace en un salón de clases o la biblioteca.

Para conocer más sobre el estudio y para dar su permiso por Internet: Por favor, mire un video breve en el que se muestra cómo sería la participación de su estudiante [LINK], visite la página de Internet https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/, o escanee el código QR. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llámenos al (855) 500-1439 o envíenos un correo electrónico a la dirección [email protected].

G racias por dedicar tiempo a conocer sobre este estudio tan importante y la manera en que usted puede contribuir. Por favor firme y devuelva el formulario incluido. O , visite la página del estudio en Internet o escanee el código QR para enviar su firma electrónica .

Shape28

HS&B:20 Formulario de Permiso Explícito del Padre o Madre/Tutor(a) o Guardián Legal

Le hemos pedido a su estudiante que participe en un estudio sobre el aprendizaje de los estudiantes, llamado Durante y Después de High School 2020 (High School and Beyond 2020 o HS&B:20, por sus siglas en inglés). Los datos de los estudiantes se obtendrán en una sesión de [FILL] minutos durante el día escolar. La sesión para estudiantes la llevará a cabo el personal de la firma RTI International, en nombre del Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de Educación (NCES por sus siglas en inglés). <If 45-minutes:> Se les pedirá a los estudiantes que completen otros <FILL> minutos fuera de la escuela y ellos recibirán $15 cuando hayan terminado ambas sesiones: tanto la de la escuela como la de fuera de la escuela.

POR FAVOR MARQUE UNA OPCIÓN:

Shape29 Sí, doy mi permiso para que mi estudiante participe en el estudio HS&B:20.

Shape30 No, no doy mi permiso para que mi estudiante participe en el estudio HS&B:20.

POR FAVOR FIRME A CONTINUACIÓN:

____________________________________________Fecha en que firma: _____/_______/_______

(Firma del padre o madre/tutor(a) o guardián legal)

POR FAVOR ESCRIBA CON LETRA DE IMPRENTA:

Nombre del estudiante: _____________________________________________

Nombre de la escuela: ______________________________________________

Nombre del padre o madre: ______________________________________________

Número de teléfono del padre o madre: _________________________________________

Correo electrónico del padre o madre: ______________________________________________

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:

Student ID: ________________________________________________

Appendix A5g. Student Assent Form (previously approved)

High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20)

Student Assent Form (used only when required by the school)

You are being asked to participate in a national study called the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). This study is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education.

Your participation in HS&B:20 is voluntary. The information you provide will be combined with the information received from thousands of other students, parents, and school staff. No names of schools or individuals will be published in study reports. Each student who participates will receive a certificate of community service [if allowed by district: and a token of appreciation valued at $10].

Please check only one option below to indicate your decision to participate in the study.

Shape31

Yes, I will participate in HS&B:20.

Shape32 No, I will not participate in HS&B:20.

PRINT your name here:

__________________________________________________________________

SIGN your name here:

__________________________________________________________________

Date: _______/_______/____________

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY:

Student ID: ________________________________________________

School name: ________________________________________________

Appendix A5h. Student Script (previously approved)

INSTRUCTION TO SF: READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPT VERBATIM TO THE STUDENTS PRIOR TO STARTING THE STUDENT SESSION.

Welcome, my name is [SF1 name] and this is [SF2 name]. You are here today because you were selected to represent high school students in an important study called the High School and Beyond Study, or HS&B:20 for short. We are very excited that you are able to join us today. For the next [45/90] minutes or so, you will be using a Chromebook to answer questions about yourself and may answer math and/or reading questions. Please do the best that you can. If you do not know an answer or do not want to answer a question, you may skip it. This is not a test and you will not be graded on how you answer the questions. You can touch the screen or use the touchpad to answer the questions. You can also have the questions read aloud to you if you like by clicking on the “read aloud” button.

[If hearing and vision: You will have your hearing and vision measured, so when you see the screen that says you should log out and have your hearing and vision measured, please go to the hearing and vision station [point out where students should go]. After you are done with hearing and vision, you will return to your Chromebook. Make sure to log back in and finish up your session on the Chromebook.]

Your participation in HS&B:20 is voluntary, and all of the information you provide will be combined with all of the other information we collect. No names of schools or individuals will be included in any study reports.

When you are all done you will see a screen that says “Congratulations.” When you see that screen, raise your hand, and I will come over and log you out and collect your student login card. You may keep the earbuds and the pencil. And you will receive a certification of community service [if allowed: and a token of appreciation valued at $10]. Please meet me here [point out where student should go] to check out. Next, [please sit quietly until the end of the session/please go back to your class after you get a hall pass]. Any questions?

When you are all done you will see a screen that says “Congratulations.” When you see that screen, raise your hand, and I will come over and log you out and collect your student login card. You may keep the earbuds and the pencil. Please meet me here [point out where student should go] to check out. Next, [please sit quietly until the end of the session/please go back to your class after you get a hall pass]. Any questions?

[If students are part of 45-minute session: Don’t forget to finish up the remainder of the session on your own. Remember, you’ll receive $15 once you complete the rest!]

Okay, let’s get started. Go ahead and enter the username and password on the card at your desk. Then click “start” on the screen and follow the instructions.

[If hardcopy student assent is required, distribute student assent forms and say: If you agree to participate in HS&B:20, please check “Yes, I will participate in HS&B:20” if you would like to participate, or “No, I will not participate in HS&B:20” if you decide you do not want to participate. If you check “no” please raise your hand.]

Appendix A6a. Study Information Sheet (previously approved)

HS&B:20 Study Information Sheet

HS&B:20 data collection takes place between <September 15, 2019 – December 20, 2020/September 15, 2020 – February 28, 2021>.

Shape33

Appendix A6b. Frequently Asked Questions (previously approved)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is HS&B:20?

The High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) is a national longitudinal study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education. Study participants include 9^th <and 12^th> grade students and their families, teachers, school administrators, and guidance counselors. Information collected through the study can be used to improve high school educational experiences for this generation and beyond. RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization, will administer the data collection activities on behalf of NCES.

W hy is HS&B:20 important?

HS&B:20 will help educators understand the diversifying environment of how students, parents, and school staff are responding to the challenges of educating youth. Many cutting-edge topics can be addressed including academic skills developed in an era of rapid technological change, gaps in achievement, access to advanced courses, and home supports.

When is the study being conducted?

<The HS&B:20 field test takes place in the fall of 2019 and the spring semester of 2023.> The national study years are the fall of 2020 and spring semester of 2024.

Why participate in HS&B:20?

Participating in HS&B:20 is important and we need your help. The voices of your students, teachers, and families will come together to give feedback on the current climate of high school education. Your school was selected to represent schools like yours and cannot be replaced.

How will my school benefit from participating in HS&B:20?

Schools that participate will have a unique opportunity to contribute to national research and use the data to improve high school education. You will receive a report that shows how your students compare to students nationwide and to schools like yours. If permitted, schools will receive $200 for participating this year and $150 to the school coordinator. Students will receive a token of appreciation if allowed by the school and a 2-hour service certificate from the U.S. Department of Education.

How will HS&B:20 data be used?

HS&B:20 data will allow researchers to examine family and schooling factors leading to postsecondary education, military, or the workforce. The study will capture unique experiences in high school and may provide insight to:

Course selections and academic progress over time;
Transitions from middle school and preparations for transitions to postsecondary education and/or work plans;
School attributes associated with reduced achievement gaps and equal access to educational opportunities;
Career and technical education opportunities available to students and characteristics of students who utilize them; and
Use of technology for innovations such as online learning and effects on student outcomes.

How Many Schools?

<The HS&B:20 field test in 2019 will involve approximately 75 schools, about 2,000 ninth-graders, and about 2,000 twelfth-graders participating.> <HS&B:20 in 2020 will involve approximately 800 schools with 15,000 ninth graders participating.> Schools invited include public, Catholic, and other private schools located across the country.

What is involved for students?

S tudents in 9^th <and 12^th grade> will participate in a student session during which they will use a computer to respond to a survey about their high school experiences, and answer some math and reading questions. Students will also complete a brief hearing and vision evaluation. The session takes <fill> minutes or less, and we will randomly select up to 35 students in each grade. If your school is small, we may select all your 9^th <and 12^th> graders for HS&B:20.

Participating students receive a token of appreciation and a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education. <If 45-minutes:> In addition to participating in school, students will be asked to complete another <FILL> minutes outside of school and will receive $15 when both the in-school and out-of-school sessions are finished.

What is involved for school staff and parents?

Teachers are invited to complete a survey with two parts. The first part, for which teachers will receive $20, asks about their professional background. Teachers will be asked to complete the second part, which includes student-specific questions, for each study student they teach. Teachers will receive $7 for each student for whom they complete the student-specific questions. Counselors and administrators are invited to complete an online survey. Participating school staff may be eligible for continuing education credits. Parents are asked to complete a survey online or via telephone and will also receive $20 for participating.

Who will be responsible for the student data collection?

Trained HS&B:20 staff will facilitate the student session at your school and will bring a mobile Chromebook lab with internet connectivity. Schools will only be asked to designate a school coordinator to assist HS&B:20 staff with pre-planning and session day logistics.

What happens if a student or staff member refuses to participate?

There will be students or staff that do not want to participate. All participation is voluntary, and respondents may skip any question during the session.

Will the names of participants and their responses be kept confidential?

All of the information students, parents, and staff provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports. Students, schools, and families are not identified in any of the reports.

Who do I contact for further information about HS&B:20?

For additional information, call the HS&B:20 information number, (855) 500-1439, or send an email to [email protected]. <You may also learn more about the study and education research focused on students in high school by visiting the HS&B:20 website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/. Check out the HS&B:20 video to see what participation looks like at your school. <video link>>

Appendix A6c. Brochure Text (previously approved)

High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) Study Brochure

What is HS&B:20?

The High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) is a research study that will build on decades of research (since 1972) to understand what makes students successful as they enter high school and progress to postsecondary education, the military, or early careers.

Why participate in HS&B:20?

You have been given an opportunity to share your experiences and opinions. While your name will never be used in any reports, your input will be used to improve education now and in the future. We want to hear from you!

What does participation involve?

Students will respond to a survey, answer math and reading questions, and complete a brief hearing and vision evaluation. Questionnaires will be completed by school administrators about the school and its environment; math teachers on their background, teaching approaches, and student engagement in class; counselors on counseling practices at the school; and parents about the home environment and their experiences with their child’s school.

Who is conducting the study?

HS&B:20 is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) part of the U.S. Department of Education. NCES collects, analyzes, and reports statistics on the condition of education in the United States. Our mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public. NCES has contracted RTI International, an independent, not-for-profit research institute, to collect the data for HS&B:20.

Did you know?

How a student does in 9^th grade has more influence on graduating from high school than all other factors, including race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and prior academic achievement, combined.

https://tinyurl.com/y773hksf

Attendance contributes more than any other factor to course failure and low grades.

https://tinyurl.com/ybn22dew

Nearly half of students who begin college do not graduate within six years.

https://tinyurl.com/y74xz2zu

If the 1.3 million dropouts from the Class of 2010 had graduated, the nation would have seen $337 billion more in earnings over the course of the students’ lifetimes.

https://tinyurl.com/jgesdzp

Schools & school staff: (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]

Parents: (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]

https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Appendix A6d. HS&B:20 Newsletter (previously approved)

Appendix A6e. Video Script (previously approved)

N CES High School and Beyond Study Video Script

Voiceover: Imagine being part of something bigger than yourself.

You can. But we all have to work together to make our voices heard.

(images of students populate screen)

T he National Center for Education Statistics wants to hear from everyone involved with the high school experience. (Scan of classroom)

We need schools to participate in our High School and Beyond Study.

(Shot of students walking through hallway)

W e’re gathering data from students, along with their parents, teachers, counselors, and principals, too.

(Multiple shots of students walking, talking with school staff,

Administrators in a school setting)

W e want to know what people think about high school.

What works? What doesn’t? (Image of student participating

in HS&B on Chromebook)

How can we improve education today, and in the future?

(Image of science class)

We all have an integral part to play. (image of volunteering

community service, Habitat for Humanity)

Now is the time to make your voice heard.

(video of Malala speaking)

ON-SCREEN TEXT: We’re listening

ON-SCREEN TEXT: When you are contacted, please participate in the High School and Beyond study https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

ON-SCREEN LOGOS: U.S. Department of Education, HS&B:20

Appendix A7a. Recruitment Website Text (previously approved)

The recruitment website is used to provide information to school staff and parents about the study. The website also serves as a portal to securely upload student list information and complete the parent and school staff questionnaires.

HS&B:20 Website Content

Landing Page

Sign-In
Welcome to HS&B:20! High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) is a national study of 9^th-graders as they progress through high school and beyond. This site is for school staff, parents, and students who are participating in HS&B:20. Log in to begin.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is authorized to conduct the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The data are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization. All of the information respondents may provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

Contact info: website, phone, email

About HS&B:20

High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) is a national longitudinal study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education. Study participants include 9th- and 12th-grade students and their families, teachers, school administrators, and guidance counselors. HS&B:20 will help educators, parents, researchers, and policymakers better understand the factors that contribute to student success. Information collected through the study also can be used to improve high school educational experiences for this generation and beyond.
NCES Info: The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collects, analyzes, and report statistics on the condition of education in the United States. Our mission is to provide scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
- Longitudinal Series info: Have timeline with links to information about each study
RTI Info: RTI is an independent, nonprofit institute that provides research, development, and technical services to government and commercial clients worldwide. Our mission is to improve the human condition by turning knowledge into practice.
Links to Webinar & Video

Why Should I Participate?

You have been given an opportunity to share your experiences and opinions. While your name will never be used in any reports, your input will be used to improve education for our children and those in the future. We want to hear from you!
What can you contribute by participating in HS&B:20?
- Districts can learn about HS&B:20 and how the collected data can be used to improve policies that support student success. They can support participation among peers and educators.
- Counselors can share information about supports they offer to students in their schools.
- Teachers can share information about their unique learning environments, background, and individual students' classroom experiences.
- Principals can provide valuable information about their school’s unique structure and environment.
- Parents can encourage their children to participate and to tell researchers about their transition to high school, their social and academic experiences, and how their school environment and culture impact their growth.
- Students can join with peers across the U.S. to participate in student sessions where they will have the opportunity to share information about their high school experiences.

How will my school benefit?

This is a unique opportunity for schools and educators to contribute in a way that will impact student outcomes for generations to come. Schools that participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 will join national research that will be used to improve the high school experience for all students. Schools may receive a report that shows how their students compare with students nationwide and to schools like theirs. Schools will also receive $200 for participating. HS&B:20 will give $150 to the school coordinator. Students will receive a token of appreciation if allowed by the school.

Why is this study important?
- Providing national-level information that is needed to better understand what factors lead students to successful completion of high school and entry into work or postsecondary education, as well as those factors that are barriers to success, is a critical function of high school longitudinal studies such as HS&B:20. Research has long shown that increases in education attainment are associated with a wide range of important civic and life outcomes, including stronger employment prospects and earning potential, lower incarceration rates, higher voting rates, and better health and life expectancy (Cutler & Lleras-Muney, 2006; Julian & Kominski, 2011; Milligan, Moretti, & Oreopoulos, 2004; Oreopoulos & Petronijevic, 2013; Sum, Khatiwada, & McLaughlin, 2009).
- Data from HS&B:20 can also contribute to improved educational experiences by documenting opportunity and achievement gaps and how well schools address inequity. Finally, HS&B:20 and its predecessor studies offer an extraordinary opportunity to study trends in students’ high school experiences and education outcomes. By maintaining linkages with NCES’s previous high school longitudinal studies, HS&B:20 data can be used to examine changes over time and shed light on the effects of various policies, demographic shifts, and school practices on student achievement, growth, and education attainment.

Instrument Content

Student	Parent	Administrator	Counselor	Teacher
Background Information	Background Information	School characteristics	Counseling program characteristics	Teacher characteristics
Family structure	Family Structure	School calendar	Discipline and safety	Teacher communication
Neighborhood	Neighborhood	Coursework	School characteristics	Class-level characteristics
Native Language	Native Language	Graduation requirements	Transitions	Coursework
Academic Expectations	Parental Academic Expectations	School performance	Coursework	Student-level characteristics
Parental Academic Expectations	Guidance	Parent engagement	Graduation requirements	Programs and services
Guidance	Attendance Information	Programs and services	Evaluation of staff	School climate
Attendance Information	Academic Experiences	Special education services	Programs and services - offered	School policies
Academic Experiences	Math and Science Experiences	Technology	Programs and services - participation	Teacher attitudes
Math and Science Experiences	School Safety and Climate	Transition to high school	School performance	Evaluation of staff
School Library	Parent Attitudes	Student characteristics	Counselor-level characteristics	Technology usage
School Safety and Climate	Student Behavior	Personnel
Student Attitudes about School	Out-of-School Activities	Interdisciplinary teaching
Student Attitudes about Self	Home life	School climate
Student Behavior	Student Health	Discipline and safety
Student Employment	Student's Peers	Admissions
Out-of-school Activities	Technology Usage	Principal characteristics
Home life	Postsecondary
Student Health	Parent Employment
Student's Peers	Parent Education
Technology Usage	Parent Income/wealth
Postsecondary	Parental Involvement
Parent Employment	High school educational expenses
Parent Education	Locating Information
Parental Involvement
Hearing/Vision
Locating Information

HS&B:20 Student Roster Instructions

Not all students in your school will be asked to participate. We will be selecting a sample. In order to select the sample, we are requesting a complete roster of all students currently enrolled in ninth <and twelfth grade> at your school.

The roster should include key characteristics about each student for sampling purposes. The HS&B:20 roster data request conforms fully to the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. §1232g; 34 CFR Part 99). For the purposes of this collection of data, FERPA permits education agencies and institutions to disclose personally identifiable information from students’ education records, without consent, to authorized representatives of the Secretary of Education in connection with an evaluation of federally supported education programs (34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). Student data are subject to strict protections that are adhered to by NCES and its contractor organizations. Roster information will be securely destroyed when no longer needed for the purposes specified in 34 CFR §99.35.

Below are instructions for preparing and uploading your student roster. The upload process is similar to attaching a file to an e-mail.

Website Upload Instructions

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20
Enter the study ID and Password provided in the cover letter.
If this is your first time entering your login credentials, you will be prompted to change your Password to something that you can remember.
Click “Provide Your Student Roster.”
Fill out the required contact information.
Prepare your document containing the requested information. You have two options for preparing a data file:
1. Click on the link provided (Download Student Roster Template) to download an Excel spreadsheet or;
2. Upload a pre-prepared file from your data system.
If you used our excel file template, once you have filled in the requested data fields, please save this file to your desktop, or some other location on your computer.
If you have a file already prepared, please save your file to your desktop, or some other location on your computer.
Go back to the HS&B:20 website (https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20) and click the “Upload” button.
Click the "Browse" button and navigate to the completed data file stored on your computer and select that file.
Click the "Upload" button. You will receive a message alerting you to the status of your upload.

NCES is authorized to conduct the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). The data are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization. All of the information you provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this voluntary information collection is 1850-0944. Approval expires 12/31/2021. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average approximately <x> minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this information collection, or any comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission, please write directly to: The High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), National Center for Education Statistics, PCP, 550 12th St., SW, 4^th floor, Washington, DC 20202.

Data Files Requested

Please note that just the student information can be submitted initially. Once the sample is drawn, you can submit the parent and teacher information for those sampled students separately.

Data Elements Requested (*denotes element required for sampling)

Name
District/School Student identification number
Date of birth*
Grade level * (9<, 12,> or U=ungraded)
Sex
Race/ethnicity*
ELL status

Parent contact information
- Name (last, first)
- Parent Street address, City, State, Zip
- Home phone number
- Cell phone number
- E-mail address
Student’s Math Teacher Name (last, first)
Student’s Math Teacher Email Address
Student’s Math Course Name
Student’s Math Course Period/Section

If you need assistance, please call the HS&B:20 Help Desk at (855) 500-1439.

Endorsements

B lurb about Endorsements page: The following organizations have partnered with NCES to support High School and Beyond 2020. When you see the following symbol, you can view their letter of support and endorsement.
Include symbol to show when there is a letter of support to view:
Support letters from universities/colleges
Include regional endorsement letters (maybe map of U.S. and links to letters?)

Resources

Link to video
Materials
- Brochure, FAQ, Survey Information Sheet, newsletter
Link to usable data from ED (ECLS-K, ECLS-K:2011, HSLS:09, etc.)
Parent Permission Forms
Publications related to study

Appendix A8a. Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter (previously approved)

Shape34

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is conducting the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) study. We want to hear from you <both> about what works for you with the high school experience and what doesn’t work. We are listening!

Students will be asked to spend about <FILL> minutes taking a survey and answering math and reading questions on the computer. In return, we will send them a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>. We will then ask them to participate again in Spring <2023/2024> to see how things change during high school and then we will collect their high school transcripts in Fall <2023/2024>.

Participation is easy! Please give your child the enclosed envelope so that he/she can participate. The envelope contains the information that needs to be entered into the computer to log in and complete the session.

Shape35

If the 1.3 million dropouts from the Class of 2010 had graduated, the nation would have seen $337 billion more in earnings over the course of the students’ lifetimes.

https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-education-america

The enclosed brochure provides more information about the study. If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website <URL> and by watching this short video <URL>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8a.1 Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter Reminder (previously approved)

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

We recently sent you information about The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) study. If your child has already submitted responses, we thank you both.

If your child has not participated yet, please give them a reminder. <CHILD_NAME> is asked to spend about <FILL> minutes taking a survey and answering math and reading questions on the computer. In return, we will send them <incentive> and a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education. We will then ask <him/her> to participate again in Spring <2023/2024> to see how things change during high school and then we will collect their high school transcripts in Fall <2023/2024>.

Please give your child the enclosed envelope so that he/she can participate. The envelope contains the information that needs to be entered into the computer to log in and complete the session.

You will also be asked to complete a survey and will receive a separate letter about your participation.

If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20 and by watching this short video <URL>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8a.2 Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Initial (previously approved)

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

<CHILD’S NAME> was selected to take part in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) study. Your child has an opportunity to help improve education for themselves and other students in the future.

We are asking <CHILD_NAME> to spend about <FILL> minutes taking a survey and answering math and reading questions on the computer.

Once we have received <CHILD’S_NAME> response, we will send <him/her> a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>.

Please give your child the login information below that needs to be entered into the computer to log in and complete the session.

Web Address: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Parent Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

You will also be asked to complete a survey and will receive a separate email about your participation. We will ask <CHILD’s NAME> to participate again in Spring <2023/2024> to see how things change during high school and then we will collect their high school transcripts in Fall <2023/2024>.

If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website <URL> and by watching this short video <URL>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8a.3 Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Reminder (previously approved)

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

We noticed that we have not received <CHILD’S_NAME> response to the HS&B:20 study, and we wanted to make sure your child had the opportunity to receive <incentive> and 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education. All <CHILD_NAME> has to do is spend about <FILL> minutes on the computer completing a survey and answering math and reading questions.

Participation is easy! Please give your child the login information below that needs to be entered into the computer to log in and complete the session.

Web Address: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Parent Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

You will also be asked to complete a survey and will receive a separate email about your participation.

If you have questions, please call or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20 and by watching this short video <URL>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8b. Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter (previously approved)

<DATE>

<STUDENT NAME> Web Address: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

<ADDR1> Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

<CITY STATE ZIP> Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

Shape36

YOU can make a difference!

Dear <Student Name>:

Congratulations! You have been selected to share about your high school experiences and opinions. Your input will help to improve education for students now and in the future.

The High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education. We will ask for your input now, and then we will contact you again in the first half of <2023/2024> to see how things went in high school and to see what may have changed.

This is your chance to provide information that could lead to important changes in education.

Your participation is voluntary, but we can’t do this without you. The study will take about <45-90> minutes and will include a short survey and math and reading questions. Your answers will never be shared with your parents, teachers, or school staff.

Shape37

‘Believe you can and you’re halfway there’

-Theodore Roosevelt-

We will send you a certificate for two hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive> after you have completed the session. To participate, please use the web link and the unique student study ID and Password provided above.

RTI International will collect the data for HS&B:20 on behalf of NCES. We hope that you will take part in this important research. Participation is easy and we really value your responses! The enclosed brochure provides more information about the study. If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected].

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8b.1 Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter Reminder (previously approved)

<DATE>

<STUDENT NAME> Web Address: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

<ADDR1> Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

<CITY STATE ZIP> Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

Dear <Student Name>:

We recently sent you information about your selection in an exciting new study, the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study 2020 or HS&B:20 and we didn’t want you to miss out on an opportunity to earn two hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>. All you have to do is spend about <45-90> minutes answering a short survey, and math and reading questions. We would really appreciate it if you would share your high school experiences and opinions to help improve education for you and other students now and in the future.

HS&B:20 is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education, and RTI International is collecting the data for HS&B:20. We will contact you again in the first half of <2023/2024> to see how things went in high school and to see what may have changed.

It is your decision to participate or not, but we hope that you will decide to join fellow students taking part in this important research. We will never share your responses with your parents, teachers, or school staff. Participation is easy! Just use the web link and the unique student study ID and Password provided above.

If you have any questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website <URL> and by watching this short video <URL>.

Thank you so much for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8b.2 Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Initial (previously approved)

Dear <Student Name>:

Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). This is your chance to not only improve education for yourself and other students, but you will also earn <incentive> and 2 hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education.

All we are asking you to do is to take about <45-90> minutes to complete a short survey and answer some reading and math questions.

Here’s the information you need to participate:

Web Address: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8b.3 Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Reminder (previously approved)

Dear <Student Name>:

We wanted to remind you that it’s not too late to earn <incentive> and 2 hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education! All you have to do is spend about <45-90> minutes completing a short survey and math and reading questions. Students nationwide are participating in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), and we need your input too!

This is your chance to provide information that could lead to important changes in education.

Your participation is voluntary, but we can’t do this without you. Your answers will never be shared with your parents, teachers, or school staff. To participate, please use the web link and the unique student study ID and Password provided below.

Web Address: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8c. Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Postcard (previously approved)

Thank you for your participation today. Please complete the rest of the session on your computer. You can log in at:

Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

When you have finished, we will send you a certificate for 2 hours of community service and <incentive>.

Appendix A8d. Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter (previously approved)

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

Your child recently participated in the High School & Beyond Longitudinal study of 2020 (HS&B:20) in school. We would like him/her to complete the rest at home.

By participating in HS&B:20, <student name> can share his/her experiences and opinions to help improve education for them and other students in the future.

The remaining portion of the session should take about {XX} minutes and will consist of <a survey and answering math and reading questions> on the computer. In return, we will send your child a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>.

We will then ask your child to participate again in the Spring of <2023/2024> to see how things change during high school and then we will collect their high school transcript in Fall <2023/2024>.

Please give your child the enclosed envelope so that he/she can participate. The envelope contains the information that needs to be entered into the computer to log in and complete the session.

You will also be asked to complete a survey and will receive a separate letter about your participation.

Shape38

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8d.1 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Letter Reminder (previously approved)

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

<Child_name> recently participated in the High School & Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) at school, and only has to complete about {XX} minutes of the < survey and math and reading questions> on the computer to receive a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>.

Participating is easy! The enclosed envelope contains the information <CHILD_NAME> needs to log in to the computer and complete the session.

You will also be asked to complete a survey and will receive a separate letter about your participation.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8d.2 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Initial (previously approved)

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

<CHILD_NAME> recently participated in the High School &Beyond Longitudinal study of 2020 (HS&B:20) in school and has about {XX} minutes left to complete <the survey and math and reading questions>. We wanted to be sure your child gets credit for participating and receives <his/her> certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>.

Please give your child the login information below to complete the session.

Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

You will also be asked to complete a survey and will receive a separate email about your participation.

We will ask your child to participate again in the Spring of <2023/2024> to see how things change during high school and then we will collect their high school transcript in Fall <2023/2024>.

If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20 and by watching this short video <URL>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8d.3 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Parent Email Reminder (previously approved)

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

There is still time for <CHILD_NAME> to login and complete the remaining portion of the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) session at home. It should take about {XX} minutes and will consist of <a survey and answering math and reading questions> on the computer. In return, we will send <CHILD_NAME> a certificate for 2 hours of community service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>.

Please give your child the login information below that needs to be entered into the computer to log in and complete the session.

Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

We will then ask your child to participate again in the Spring of <2023/2024> to see how things change during high school and then we will collect their high school transcript in Fall <2023/2024>.

You will also be asked to complete a survey and will receive a separate email about your participation.

If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20 and by watching this short video <URL>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8e. Hybrid Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter (previously approved)

<DATE>

<STUDENT NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

<ADDR1> Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

<CITY STATE ZIP> Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

Dear <Student Name>:

Thank you for participating in the first part of the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) at your school. By sharing your school experiences and opinions, you can help to improve education for students now and in the future.

Please take <##> minutes to complete the rest of the session. Your participation is voluntary, but we can’t do this without you. Your answers will never be shared with your parents, teachers, or school staff. We will send you a certificate for two hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive> after you have completed the session. To participate, please use the web link and the unique student study ID and Password provided above.

NCES has asked RTI International, a not-for-profit research organization, to collect the data for HS&B:20. We hope that you will participate in this important research. We value and appreciate your input! The enclosed brochure provides more information about the study. If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected].

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8e.1 Hybrid Out-of-school Data Collection – Student Letter Reminder (previously approved)

<DATE>

<STUDENT NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

<ADDR1> Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

<CITY STATE ZIP> Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

Dear <Student Name>:

Thank you again for completing the first part of the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) at your school! As a reminder, we would still like you to log in and complete the rest of the session, which should take about <###> minutes. Participating is easy and will earn you <incentive> and two hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education.

The information you need to login in is provided above.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8e.2 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Initial (previously approved)

Dear <Student Name>:

Thank you for participating in the first part of the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) at your school.

We want to make sure you get credit for participating, and the <incentive> and two hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education. Please take <##> minutes to complete the rest of the session. To participate, please use the web link and the unique student study ID and Password provided below.

Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20 and by watching this short video <URL>.

Thank you so much for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A8e.3 Hybrid Out-of-School Data Collection – Student Email Reminder (previously approved)

Dear <Student Name>:

It’s not too late to log in and complete the HS&B:20 session, which should take about <###> minutes.

Once you complete the session, we will send you a certificate for two hours of volunteer service from the U.S. Department of Education and <incentive>. Participating is easy! Just use the web link and the unique student study ID and Password provided below.

Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>

Student Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

If you have questions, please call (855) 500-1439 or email us at [email protected]. You can also get more information on our website surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20 and by watching this short video <URL>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A9a. Summary of Mathematics Questions (previously approved)



Approximate length Goal for Main Study		30 minutes (part of a 45 min or 90 min session including math, reading, and a student survey)

Mode of administration		In school computerized administration using Chromebooks, tablet-like computers with touchscreen capability and an attached keyboard, that will be brought in to the school by the study Out of school computerized administration using students’ personal computers with or without touchscreen capability

Key constructs		Number System finding common factors and multiples comparing fractions applying basic operations with fractions and integers to word problems using basic operations representing and understanding rational numbers in multiple forms understanding the relative size of irrational numbers Proportional Relationships extending students’ understanding of the number system multiplying and dividing fractions and multiplicative thinking understanding basic concepts of ratio, rate, and proportional relationships using rational numbers to solve problems and understand slope and functions Expressions and Equations understanding the use of expressions beginning with letter representations of a single number applying knowledge of rational numbers and operations to solve equations constructing equations and inequalities to solve real-world problems recognizing different types of notation (such as square root) reasoning with equalities and inequalities solving and representing linear equations and inequalities Functions understanding the definition of a function comparing functions represented in different ways distinguishing between linear and nonlinear functions comparing and creating representations of different functions understanding of functions to context

Appendix A9b. Summary of Reading Questions (previously approved)



Approximate length Goal for Main Study	25 minutes (part of a 45 min or 90 min session including math, reading, and a student survey)

Mode of administration	Two-stage, in school computerized session using Chromebooks, tablet-like computers with touchscreen capability and an attached keyboard, that will be brought in to the school by the study Out of school computerized administration using students’ personal computers with or without touchscreen capability

Key constructs	Word Recognition & Decoding Students read words (e.g., elect), pronounceable nonwords (e.g., clort) and pseudohomophones (e.g., brane) and decide whether the stimulus is a word, not a real word, or sounds exactly like a real word. Vocabulary A single target word is presented and the student decides which of provided three words goes with the target word. Correct answers are either synonyms (e.g., data - information) or meaning associates (e.g., thermal - heat). Morphological Awareness The student completes a sentence by choosing from three words derived from the same root word (e.g., She is good at many sports, but her _______ is basketball: specialty, specialize, specialist). The target words vary in difficulty based on the frequency of the derived forms (i.e., lower frequency derivations are more difficult). Sentence Processing The student completes sentences of increasing length and syntactic complexity by choosing from three choices (e.g., Shouting in a voice louder than her friend Cindy's, Tonya asked Joe to unlock the door, but ______ didn’t respond: he, she, they). In this task, frequent words used in everyday language are used in the sentences to decrease the influence of vocabulary knowledge in this task. Consequently, the focus is on understanding of sentence syntax and meaning (rather than word meaning). Efficiency of Basic Reading Comprehension (MAZE task) Students read short passages containing sentences that are completed using a forced-choice cloze task (e.g., Agriculture meant that people stayed in one place to grow their baskets / crops / rings.). These passages are between 250-300 words in length and have Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level estimates of grades 6 and 7. Students in this block will read approximately 3 paragraphs in this way. This task is timed such that students are given 3 minutes to complete a passage and its corresponding items, making it a measure of efficiency as well as basic comprehension. Reading Comprehension Students answer questions about the passage they read while doing the MAZE task. The passage presented in the MAZE task will be presented again with the correct completions for the items presented in the MAZE task. The passage will appear on the same screen as the questions. Easier questions will be selected for this skill-based block.

Appendix A9c. Summary of Student Survey (previously approved)

	Student Survey

Approximate length Goal for Main Study	25 minutes (part of a 45 min or 90 min session including math, reading, and a student survey)

Mode of administration	In school computerized administration using Chromebooks, tablet-like computers with touchscreen capability and an attached keyboard, that will be brought in to the school by the study Out of school computerized administration using students’ personal computers with or without touchscreen capability

Key constructs	Student Background Sex Race & ethnicity Nativity Date of birth Language characteristics (e.g., language(s) spoken at home and participation in ELL) School Experiences Last year’s school and grade level Ever repeated a grade 8th-grade math course Current math course(s) Confidence in math abilities High school academic plans (e.g., years of math and AP/IB courses) Preparedness for class School climate (e.g., tolerance for diversity, sense of belonging, and teacher support) Technology usage for homework Family Family structure (e.g., number in household and number/types of parents or guardians) Parent or guardian nativity Parent or guardian employment status Parent or guardian educational attainment Parent or guardian academic expectations (e.g., expectations for student’s educational attainment and awareness of student’s educational activities) Guidance and Future Plans Academic and personal guidance received (e.g., guidance on academic courses, college, and personal problems) Plans for standardized tests Educational attainment expectations and confidence Future career expectations Attitudes and Behavior Growth mindset (e.g., general and math-specific) Sleep patterns (e.g., time student wakes up and goes to sleep, sleep issues) Recreational technology usage Conscientious behavior Participation in creative activities

Appendix A9d. Summary of Parent Survey (previously approved)

	Parent Survey

Approximate length	15 or 30 minutes

Mode of administration	Web-based administration accessible by individualized link, with a telephone-based interview option available.

Key constructs	School Experiences School assigned or chosen Number of times student changed schools Education outside the United States Grades student repeated or skipped Ever suspended or expelled Ever dropped out Availability of digital devices and internet at home Family Family composition (e.g., number/types of parents or guardians, parent or guardian marital status, number in household, and number of siblings) Student’s time spent living with respondent Student’s contact with nonresident parent Siblings’ educational experience (e.g., number in high school, graduated from high school, and continued education after high school) Background Information Race & ethnicity of student and parent(s) Nativity of student and parent(s) Language characteristics (e.g., language(s) spoken at home and student’s participation in ELL) Guidance and Future Plans Educational guidance received at home (e.g., participation by nonresident parent, advice, and talking with counselor or teacher) Educational expectations (e.g., desired and expected) Family’s plans around financing postsecondary education Parental Education and Employment Parental educational attainment Parental employment status Parental job characteristics (e.g., number of jobs, hours worked, and occupation) Parental active duty status Household income Number of dependents Student receives free or reduced price lunch Tenure Home Life and Wellness Residential stability (e.g., time at current residence and number of residences) Relationship between parent and student (e.g., frequency eating meals together and number of student’s friends known) Regulation of student technology use Student’s activities outside of school Student’s health (e.g., overall health, days sick, and formal diagnosis) Special education services (e.g., 504 plan and IEP/ISP)

Appendix A9e. Summary of Mathematics Teacher Survey (previously approved)

	Mathematics Teacher Survey

Approximate length	10-20 minutes for teacher background and classroom characteristics; 4 minutes per student report

Mode of administration	Web-based administration accessible by individualized link.

Key constructs

Teacher background and classroom characteristics

Classroom Characteristics

Course type
Class size (number of students)
Class rigor
Classroom behavior
Achievement level of class

Classroom Mathematics Instruction

Course curriculum used
Mathematics teaching objectives

Teacher Experience and Background

Education and degree
Certification
Years and grades of teaching experience
Demographic information

School Climate and Teaching Practices

School climate
Teaching climate
Growth mindset
Availability and use of classroom technology

Teacher provided information on individual students

Mathematical Thinking

Compatibility with mathematics class
Demonstrated mathematics abilities

Classroom Behaviors

Positive behavior
Attendance/tardiness
Preparedness

Appendix A9f. Summary of School Counselor Survey (previously approved)

	School Counselor Survey

Approximate length	30 minutes

Mode of administration	Web-based administration accessible by individualized link.

Key constructs	School and Counseling Program Characteristics Enrollment practices Number of counselors Counseling staff characteristics (e.g., certification, caseload) Counseling program priorities Counseling services offered to students Assisting students with transitions from middle grades to high school School Courses and Academic Programs Course placement Course offerings (e.g., Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate) Course characteristics (e.g., distance learning, online, blended learning, work-based) TRiO program offerings Counseling and Support Services Access to technology for instruction and learning School extended learning opportunities Academic assistance, enrichment, and remediation opportunities Credit recovery Supports for students General Education Development (GED) offerings Early warning systems Dropout prevention services School Graduation Requirements Graduation requirements Career and education plan requirements Assistance with graduation, postsecondary, and workforce preparation School’s network with employers Tracking of students’ postsecondary outcomes

Appendix A9g. Summary of School Administrator Survey (previously approved)

	School Administrator Survey

Approximate length Goal for Main Study	40 minutes

Mode of administration	Web-based administration accessible by individualized link.

Key constructs	School Characteristics School characteristics (e.g., average daily attendance, tuition) School calendar and hours of instruction Admission criteria and assistance Student population (e.g., percent IEP, percent ELL/LEP) Teaching Staff Number of teachers Teaching staff characteristics (e.g., certification, new teachers) Teaching staff salary information Teaching staff preparedness School Programs and Coursework Competency-based advancement Common academic curriculum Cooperative learning Assistance for parents Extracurricular activities English Language Learner (ELL) offerings Access to technology for instruction and learning Discipline and Safety Safety and school-level security practices (e.g., visitor sign-ins, metal detector checks) Types of disciplinary actions Parental engagement in disciplinary actions School Administrator Background Education and degree Certification Years of administrator experience Years and grades of teaching experience Factors affecting staff evaluation Demographic information School Climate Student and teaching staff attitudes (e.g., morale) Problems at school (e.g., student misconduct) School relationships with stakeholders

Appendix A10. Student Rostering Materials (previously approved)

Request for Student Roster Information from Schools

<Date>

Dear <School Contact Name>:

We are looking forward to working with your students on the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). Your school’s participation is important to the success of the study and we appreciate it! To select the student sample, we are asking you to provide information about each student enrolled in your school in grade<s> 9 <and 12>. About 35 students per grade, on average will be selected. If your school is small, we may invite all of your students in grade<s> 9 <and 12> to participate.

Please provide your roster once your enrollment is stable for the <2019-2020/2020-2021> school year. We appreciate your timely response to this request.

This information request conforms to the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. §1232g; 34 CFR Part 99). For the purposes of this collection of data, FERPA permits education agencies and institutions to disclose personally identifiable information from students’ education records, without consent, to authorized representatives of the Secretary of Education in connection with an evaluation of federally supported education programs (34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). Student data are subject to strict protections that are adhered to by NCES and its contractor organizations. Roster information will be securely destroyed when no longer needed for the purposes specified in 34 CFR §99.35.

The key characteristics of interest include:

Name
District/School Student Identification Number
Date of Birth
Grade Level * (9<, 12,> or U=ungraded)
Sex
Race/Ethnicity
ELL Status

Parent Contact Information
- Name (last, first)
- Parent Street address, City, State, Zip
- Home phone number
- Cell phone number
- E-mail address
Student’s Math Teacher Name (last, first)
Student’s Math Teacher Email Address
Student’s Math Course Name
Student’s Math Course Period/Section

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt, Project Director

Instructions: Please provide the information below for each student currently enrolled in the ninth <and twelfth> grade<s> at your school. This information will be used to select an average of 35 ninth grade <and 35 twelfth grade> students from your school for the study.

General Student information

Race
(Y/N all that apply)

Ethnicity
(Y/N)

ELL

Parent Contact information

Student's Math Teacher

StudentID

FirstName

LastName

Suffix

Grade 9<, Grade 12,> or U=ungraded

Date of birth
MM/DD/YY

Sex(M/F)

White

Black or African American

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

American Indian or Alaska Native

Hispanic

Yes/No

Parent's First Name

Parent's Last Name

Parent's Address

Parent City

Parent State

Parent Zip

Parent's Email

Parent's Home Phone

Parent's Cell Phone

MathTeacherFirstName

MathTeacherLastName

MathTeacherEmail

Math Course Name

Math Course Period/Section

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this voluntary information collection is 1850-XXXX. Approval expires XX/XX/20XX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average approximately 5 minutes per row, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this information collection, or any comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission, please write directly to: The High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), National Center for Education Statistics, PCP, 550 12th St., SW, 4th floor, Washington, DC 20202.

Appendix A11. Parent Data Collection Letter (previously approved)

Dear Parent or Guardian,

We are thrilled that your child’s school is participating in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). Here at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education, we are reaching out to schools, students, parents, school counselors, math teachers, and school administrators to understand the high school experience. The information that is provided will contribute to improving education for students now and in the future.

We would greatly appreciate it if the person most knowledgeable about <student_firstname>’s school and home life would complete a <##>-minute online survey for the study. As a token of our appreciation for being a part of the study, when you finish the survey either online or over the phone, you will receive <incentive>. You may have already received a letter inviting your child to participate in HS&B:20, or that letter will be coming to you in the next few weeks.

Shape39

American students are outperforming one group: their grandparents. In fact, Millennials are on track to be the most educated generation in history compared with older generations when they were the same age.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/10/5-facts-about-americas-students/

To access the parent survey, please log into:

surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: xxxxxxxx

Password: xxxxxxxx.

Your participation will directly benefit your child’s school. Teachers will earn incentives and continuing education credits during this research, and we need everyone to do their part. Please log in today and complete your survey!

To learn more, watch a short video <LINK>, visit the study website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/, or scan the QR code. If you have questions, please call us at (855) 500-1439 or send email to [email protected]. Thank you for supporting education by participating in this important study!

Shape40

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: Study Information Sheet, Brochure and Flyer

The study is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education. All of the information collected is protected, as required by law. NCES is authorized to conduct HS&B:20 by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The data are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization. All of the information you and your child provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports. Completing the survey is voluntary for you and your child and there are no penalties for not participating. You may also skip any question you do not want to answer if you choose to participate.

Appendix A11.1 Parent Data Collection Letter Reminder (previously approved)

Dear <Parent or Guardian>,

We recently sent you information about the High School and Beyond Longitudinal study of 2020 (HS&B:20). It is not too late to participate in this exciting study that schools, students, parents, school counselors, math teachers, and school administrators are participating in nationwide. Your contributions will help improve education for students now and in the future.

Participating is easy and should only take about <###> minutes. Your participation will directly benefit your child’s school. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive <incentive> when you finish the survey. You may have already received a letter inviting your child to participate in HS&B:20, or that letter will be coming to you in the next few weeks.

Shape41

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/10/5-facts-about-americas-students/

To access the parent survey, please log into:

surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: xxxxxxxx

Password: xxxxxxxx.

Shape42

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: Study Information Sheet, Brochure and Flyer

Appendix A11.2 Parent Data Collection Email (previously approved)

Dear <Parent or Guardian>,

We are thrilled that your child’s school is participating in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), and we are hoping that the person most knowledgeable about <student_firstname>’s school and home life would complete a <##>-minute online survey for the study.

As a token of our appreciation for being a part of the study, when you finish the survey either online or over the phone, you will receive <incentive>. You may have already received a letter inviting your child to participate in HS&B:20, or that letter will be coming to you in the next few weeks. To access the parent survey, please use the login information below:

Study website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <xxxxxxxx>

Password: <xxxxxxxx>

NCES has been conducting studies like this since 1970. This is your opportunity to contribute information that may lead to change.

For more information, please visit the study website at the website link provided above, or watch this brief video about the study <URL>. You may also call the study hotline at (855) 500-1439 or send email to [email protected]. Thank you for supporting education by participating in this important study.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A11.3a Parent Data Collection Email Reminder (previously approved)

Dear Parent or Guardian,

Did you know that it’s not too late to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) a study that schools, students, parents, school counselors, math teachers, and school administrators are participating in around the nation? The information you provide will help improve education for students now and in the future.

Please complete the <##>-minute online survey for the study. As a token of our appreciation for being a part of the study, when you finish the survey either online or over the phone, you will receive <incentive>. To access the parent survey, please use the login information below:

Study website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <xxxxxxxx>

Password: <xxxxxxxx>

NCES has been conducting studies like this since 1970. This is your opportunity to contribute information that may lead to change.

For more information, please visit the study website at the website link provided above or watch this brief video about the study <URL>. You may also call the study hotline at (855) 500-1439 or send email to [email protected]. Thank you for supporting education by participating in this important study.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A11.3b Parent Data Collection Email Reminder (previously approved)

Dear <<fname>>,

My name is Elise Christopher and I am the Project Officer for the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). I hope that you will take a bit of time out of your busy schedule to complete the HS&B:20 survey today. This survey is part of a nationwide study of students’ education and life experiences as they move through high school and transition into postsecondary education and/or the workforce. Your views and those of your child are important to this study. Decisions about what high school courses to take, whether to pursue further education after high school, and which future career paths to follow are important for policymakers and researchers to understand.

On average, the survey takes only about <##> minutes and you will receive <<inc_amount>> as a token of appreciation for filling it out.

To complete the survey online, go to our secure website:

<<website>>

Study ID: <<StudyID>>

Password: <<password>>

If you have questions or prefer to complete the survey over the phone please call us at 855-500-1439. You may also contact [email protected]. Our data collection contractor, RTI International, is available to assist you with any questions you may have.

Thank you for helping to make HS&B:20 a success.

Elise Christopher, PhD

HS&B:20 Project Officer

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

U.S. Department of Education

[email protected]

Appendix A11.4a Parent Data Collection Reinterview Email – Web (previously approved)

Dear «fname»:

You may recall recently completing the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) web survey. Thank you for your participation!

At the end of your survey, you were randomly selected for and agreed to participate in a quality control web survey. This second survey will take only about 10 minutes to complete, and will determine how well our questions collected reliable information.

To complete the quality control survey, please log in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20/ using the Study ID and password provided below:

Study ID = «caseid»

Password = «password»

If you have any questions or need assistance, you can call us toll-free at 1-855-500-1439, or you can e-mail us at [email protected].

If you have already completed this quality control survey, please disregard this message.

Again, thank you for your time and willingness to participate.

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

HS&B:20 Project Director

RTI International

Appendix A11.4b Parent Data Collection Reinterview Email – CATI (previously approved)

Dear «fname»:

You may recall recently completing the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) survey with a telephone interviewer. Thank you for your participation!

At the end of your survey, you were randomly selected for and agreed to participate in a quality control survey. This second survey will take only about 10 minutes to complete and will determine how well our questions collected reliable information.

Please call 1-855-500-1439, provide our interviewer with the Study ID number listed below, and inform them that you are calling in reference to the quality control survey.

Study ID = «caseid»

If you have already received a telephone call and have completed this quality control survey, please disregard this message. Again, thank you for your time and willingness to participate.

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

HS&B:20 Project Director

RTI International

Appendix A12a. Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Letter (previously approved)

Shape44 Shape43

Website: <insert URL>

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <TEACHER NAME>,

Shape45

<SCHOOL NAME> has graciously agreed to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), which is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. HS&B:20 focuses on factors which lead to a positive trajectory of high school students continuing to postsecondary education and the workforce. The study provides an opportunity for math teachers to share their experiences and opinions which can shape the future of education. This HS&B:20 data collection includes a teacher survey of approximately <fill> math teachers in grades 9 <&12> around the country. You are one of the esteemed teachers selected to participate in the study.

HS&B:20 is more than a research study; this is an opportunity for you to provide information about your experiences and opinions as a teacher, providing essential information about academic policies and programs, activities and curriculum in the classroom, and other school related experiences that impact student learning. The survey will include several general questions about your background and experiences at school and in the classroom (about <##> minutes), as well as questions about specific students that are part of the study (about 4 minutes per student). Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided on this letter. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive <incentive> for answering the questions about your background, and <incentive> per student for answering questions about specific students. You will also receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

Should you have any questions, please call the HS&B:20 information number, (855) 500-1439, or send an email to [email protected]. You can also learn more about the study and education research focused on high school students by visiting the HS&B:20 website at surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb2020, or by watching a short video <insert link>.

Shape46

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: HS&B:20 Brochure, List of endorsing organizations, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet

Appendix A12a.1 Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Reminder (previously approved)

Shape48 Shape47

Website: <insert URL>

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <TEACHER NAME>,

We recently sent you information about the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20), for which <school_name> has graciously agreed to participate. As a reminder, the survey will include several general questions about your background and experiences at school and in the classroom (about <##> minutes), as well as questions about specific students that are part of the study (about 4 minutes per student). Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

Shape49

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A12a.2 Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Email (previously approved)

Dear <TEACHER NAME>,

<SCHOOL NAME> has graciously agreed to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020(HS&B:20), which is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.

This is your opportunity to provide information about your experiences and opinions as a teacher. The survey will include several general questions about your background and experiences at school and in the classroom (about <##> minutes), as well as questions about specific students that are part of the study (about 4 minutes per student). Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided below. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive <incentive> for answering the questions about your background, and <incentive> per student for answering questions about specific students. You will also receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

Website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A12a.3 Staff Data Collection Letters – Math Teacher Email Reminder (previously approved)

Dear <TEACHER NAME>,

It is not too late to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020(HS&B:20), for which <school_name> has graciously agreed to participate. We hope you will take the opportunity to share your experiences and opinions which can shape the future of education.

As a reminder, the survey will include several general questions about your background and experiences at school and in the classroom (about <##> minutes), as well as questions about specific students that are part of the study (about 4 minutes per student). Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study.

Website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A12b. Staff Data Collection Letters – Guidance Counselor (previously approved)

Shape50 Shape51

Website: <insert URL>

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <COUNSELOR NAME>,

Shape52

Data collection for the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020(HS&B:20) is now underway and we thank you for your school’s continued participation in this important research. HS&B:20, which is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, focuses on factors which lead to a positive trajectory of high school students continuing to postsecondary education and the workforce. HS&B:20 will include students nationwide in <both> 9^th <and 12^th> grade.

HS&B:20 is more than a research study; this is an opportunity for you to provide information about your experiences and opinions as a guidance counselor. Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study. We are asking you to complete a 30-minute questionnaire to provide essential information about guidance counselor programs and services, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning.

You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided on this letter. We recommend gathering the following information in advance of completing the survey:

Guidance programs offered at school
Participation rates in programs and services offered
Graduation requirements
School personnel counts
Student population (e.g., percent IEP, percent ELL/LEP)

Shape53

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

Should you have any questions, please call the HS&B:20 information number, (855) 500-1439 or send an email to [email protected]. You can also learn more about the study and education research focused on students in high school by visiting the HS&B:20 website at surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20, or scanning the QR code, or by watching a short video at <insert link>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: HS&B:20 Brochure, List of endorsing organizations, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet

Appendix A12b.1. Staff Data Collection Letters Reminder – Guidance Counselor (previously approved)

Shape54 Shape55

Website: <insert URL>

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <COUNSELOR NAME>,

As a reminder, data collection for the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020(HS&B:20) is now underway and we wanted to thank you for your school’s continued participation in this important research. We are asking you to complete a 30-minute questionnaire to provide essential information about guidance counselor programs and services, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning.

The research study focuses on factors which lead to a positive trajectory of high school students continuing to postsecondary education and the workforce. HS&B:20 will include students nationwide in <both> 9^th <and 12^th> grade.

Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study. You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

Guidance programs offered at school
Participation rates in programs and services offered
Graduation requirements
School personnel counts
Student population (e.g., percent IEP, percent ELL/LEP)

Shape56

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A12b.2. Staff Data Collection Email– Guidance Counselor (previously approved)

Dear <COUNSELOR NAME>,

This is an opportunity for you to provide information about your experiences and opinions as a guidance counselor. Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study. We are asking you to complete a 30-minute questionnaire to provide essential information about guidance counselor programs and services, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning.

You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided below. We recommend gathering the following information in advance of completing the survey:

Guidance programs offered at school
Participation rates in programs and services offered
Graduation requirements
School personnel counts
Student population (e.g., percent IEP, percent ELL/LEP)

Website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A12b.3. Staff Data Collection Email Reminder – Guidance Counselor (previously approved)

Dear <COUNSELOR NAME>,

As a reminder, data collection for the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020(HS&B:20) is ongoing and we wanted to thank you for your school’s continued participation in this important research. We are asking you to complete a 30-minute questionnaire to provide essential information about guidance counselor programs and services, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning.

You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided below. We recommend gathering the following information in advance of completing the survey:

Guidance programs offered at school
Participation rates in programs and services offered
Graduation requirements
School personnel counts
Student population (e.g., percent IEP, percent ELL/LEP)

Website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A12c. Staff Data Collection Letters – School Administrator (previously approved)

Shape57 Shape58

Website: <insert URL>

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <ADMIN NAME>,

Shape59

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/10/5-facts-about-americas-students/

Data collection for the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20) is now underway and we thank you for your school’s continued participation in this important research. HS&B:20, which is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, focuses on factors which lead to a positive trajectory of high school students continuing to postsecondary education and the workforce. HS&B:20 will include students nationwide in <both> 9^th <and 12^th> grade.

HS&B:20 is more than a research study; this is an opportunity for you to provide information about your experiences and opinions as a school administrator. Your participation is voluntary but very important to the success of this study. We are asking you to complete a 40-minute questionnaire to provide essential information about academic policies and programs, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning.

You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

Student attendance and matriculation information
Student body demographics
Math curriculum information
School personnel counts
State assessment scores
Programs, services, and supports available for students with IEPs, and the percentage of students who use them

If there is someone at your school more knowledgeable about the students, teachers, programs, and services at your school, please let us know so we can assign him or her as the designee for this survey. Contact us at (855) 500-1439, or [email protected] to provide your designee’s name and email address.

Shape60

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

Learn more about the study and education research focused on students in high school by visiting the HS&B:20 website at surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20, or scanning the QR code, or by watching a short video at <insert link>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: HS&B:20 Brochure, List of endorsing organizations, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet

Appendix A12c.1. Staff Data Collection Letters Reminder– School Administrator (previously approved)

Shape61 Shape62

Website: <insert URL>

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

<DATE>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

Dear <ADMIN NAME>,

We thank you again for your school’s continued participation in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). We would really appreciate it you could also complete the 40-minute questionnaire about academic policies and programs, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning.

You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided in this letter. We recommend gathering the following information in advance of completing the survey:

Student attendance and matriculation information
Student body demographics
Math curriculum information
School personnel counts
State assessment scores
Programs, services, and supports available for students with IEPs, and the percentage of students who use them

Shape63

Scan HS&B:20

QR code HERE

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Enclosures: HS&B:20 Brochure, List of endorsing organizations, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet

Appendix A12c.2. Staff Data Collection Email – School Administrator (previously approved)

Dear <ADMIN NAME>,

As you know, the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020(HS&B:20) is being conducted in your school. We are asking you to complete a 40-minute questionnaire to provide essential information about academic policies and programs, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning.

You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided below. We recommend gathering the following information in advance of completing the survey:

Student attendance and matriculation information
Student body demographics
Math curriculum information
School personnel counts
State assessment scores
Programs, services, and supports available for students with IEPs, and the percentage of students who use them

Website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

Learn more about the study and education research focused on students in high school by visiting the HS&B:20 website at surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20, or by watching a short video at <insert link>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A12c.3. Staff Data Collection Email Reminder– School Administrator (previously approved)

Dear <ADMIN NAME>,

Thanks again for your school’s participation in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). Please complete a 40-minute questionnaire to provide essential information about academic policies and programs, activities and curriculum in the school, and other school related experiences that impact student learning. If there is someone at your school more knowledgeable about the students, teachers, programs, and services at your school, please provide him or her with this letter and enclosed information so that he or she may complete the survey for your school.

You will receive a professional development certificate for your time from the U. S. Department of Education.

To access the questionnaire online, please use the web address and unique study ID and Password provided below. We recommend gathering the following information in advance of completing the survey:

Student attendance and matriculation information
Student body demographics
Math curriculum information
School personnel counts
State assessment scores
Programs, services, and supports available for students with IEPs, and the percentage of students who use them

Website: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20

Study ID: <ID>

Password: <Password>

Should you have any questions, please call the HS&B:20 information number, (855) 500-1439, or send an email to [email protected]. You can also learn more about the study and education research focused on students in high school by visiting the HS&B:20 website at surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20, or by watching a short video at <insert link>.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this important research study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A13a. School Staff Participation Certificate (previously approved)

Appendix A13b. Parent/Student Incentive Receipt Form (previously approved)

Interview Incentive Receipt

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

and

RTI International

Thank you for participating in the High School and Beyond Study (HS&B:20)

In appreciation of your participation in this important study, you are eligible to receive $______.

Since maintaining the confidentiality of your information is important to us, your name will not be entered on this form. However, the interviewer must sign and date this form to certify you received (or declined) the incentive.

___________________________________ _________ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Interviewer Date Study ID

□ Accepted Incentive □ Declined Incentive

Appendix A14a. HS&B:20 District Notification Letter (new)

[DATE]

[DistSuptName]

[DistrictName]

[Address]

[CitySTZip]

Dear Superintendent,

We previously contacted you requesting your support for one or more of your schools to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). Thank you for the district’s continued support. I am writing to inform you that we have made a change in our plans for 9^th-grade data collection activities. Due to the unprecedented and ongoing disruptions to our nation’s schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to delay the study’s first data collection from fall 2020 to fall 2021. We are making this change in acknowledgement that many schools and districts will likely have some disruptions in the fall as a result of restarting more normalized operations after COVID-19. NCES does not want to place additional burden on your schools or district. Therefore, to be respectful of your individual circumstances, we felt it best to delay the entire HS&B:20 collection cycle by one year. Moving forward, the study will be known as HS&B:21.

We will still contact schools in the 2020-21 school year to ask them to participate for the 2021-22 school year. The one-year delay will result in the planned first follow-up for this study occurring in the spring of 2025. Your continued support in this endeavor is important to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students. For additional study details, please visit the study website: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20. Please contact us with questions at (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]. School and student participation are discretional, and we are confident that you will continue to see the value and importance of this research to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students.

We look forward to working with your school(s) in the 2021-22 school year to make the study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A14b. HS&B:20 District Notification Letter – Districts That Have Not Yet Approved Participation (new)

[DATE]

[DistSuptName]

[DistrictName]

[Address]

[CitySTZip]

Dear Superintendent,

The one-year delay will result in the planned first follow-up for this study occurring in the spring of 2025. Your continued support in this endeavor is important to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students. For additional study details, please visit the study website: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20. Please contact us with questions at (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]. School and student participation are discretional, and we are confident that you will continue to see the value and importance of this research to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students.

We look forward to working with your school(s) in the 2021-22 school year to make the study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A14c. HS&B:20 School Administrator Notification Letter – Participating Schools (new)

<date>

Dear <Principal Name>:

Recently, your school graciously agreed to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). I am writing to thank you for your school’s agreement to participate and to inform you that we have made a change in our plans for the 9^th-grade data collection activities. Due to the unprecedented and ongoing disruptions to our nation’s schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to delay the study’s first data collection from fall 2020 to fall 2021. We are making this change in acknowledgement that many schools will likely have some disruptions in the fall as a result of restarting more normalized operations after COVID-19. NCES does not want to place additional burden on your school. Therefore, to be respectful of your individual circumstances, we felt it best to delay the entire HS&B:20 collection cycle by one year. Moving forward, the study will be known as HS&B:21.

We will still contact you next school year to discuss details of your participation but will not be conducting any sessions in your school in the 2020-21 school year. The one-year delay will result in the first follow-up occurring in spring of 2025.

Your continued support in this endeavor is important to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students. For additional study details, please visit the study website: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20. Please contact us with questions at (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]. We are confident that you will continue to see the value and importance of this research to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students.

We look forward to working with your school in the 2021-22 school year to make the study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A14d. HS&B:20 School Administrator Notification Letter – Sampled Schools That Have Not Yet Agreed to Participate (new)

<date>

Dear <Principal Name>:

You may recall that we recently contacted your school about participating in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). I am writing to inform you that we have made a change in our plans for the 9^th-grade data collection activities. Due to the unprecedented and ongoing disruptions to our nation’s schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to delay the study’s first data collection from fall 2020 to fall 2021. We are making this change in acknowledgement that many schools will likely have some disruptions in the fall as a result of restarting more normalized operations after COVID-19. NCES does not want to place additional burden on your school. Therefore, to be respectful of your individual circumstances, we felt it best to delay the entire HS&B:20 collection cycle by one year. Moving forward, the study will be known as HS&B:21.

We will contact you next school year to further discuss whether your school is able to participate but will not be conducting any sessions in the 2020-21 school year. The one-year delay will result in the first follow-up occurring in spring of 2025.

Your support in this endeavor is important to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students. For additional study details, please visit the study website: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20. Please contact us with questions at (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]. We are confident that you will continue to see the value and importance of this research to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students.

We look forward to working with your school in the 2021-22 school year to help make the study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Appendix A14e. HS&B:20 State Notification Letter (new)

<Date>

<City, State Zip>

Dear < Name>:

You may recall that we recently notified you that schools in your state may be requested to participate in the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2020 (HS&B:20). Thank you for communications that you already have had with schools in your state. I am writing to inform you that we have made a change in our plans for the 9^th-grade data collection activities. Due to the unprecedented and ongoing disruptions to our nation’s schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to delay the study’s first data collection from fall 2020 to fall 2021. We are making this change in acknowledgement that many schools and districts will likely have some disruptions in the fall as a result of restarting more normalized operations after COVID-19. NCES does not want to place additional burden on your schools or districts. Therefore, to be respectful of your individual circumstances, we felt it best to delay the entire HS&B:20 collection cycle by one year. Moving forward, the study will be known as HS&B:21.

We will contact you next school year to further discuss your endorsement letter to send to schools in your state, but we will not be conducting any school sessions in the 2020-21 school year. The one-year delay will result in the first follow-up occurring in spring of 2025.

Your support in this endeavor is important to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students. For additional study details, please visit the study website: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsb20. Please contact us with questions at (855) 500-1439 or [email protected]. You may also contact Project Officer Elise Christopher, PhD at NCES at (202) 245-7098. We are confident that you will continue to see the value and importance of this research to advance the quality of education for our country’s high school students.

We look forward to working with schools in your state in the 2021-22 school year to help make the study a success.

Sincerely,

James L. Woodworth

NCES Commissioner

Cc: <STATE> Testing Coordinator

1 A Research Synthesis of the Associations Between Socioeconomic Background, Inequality, School Climate, and Academic Achievement. November 1, 2016

Ruth Berkowitz, Hadass Moore, Ron Avi Astor

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